Basketball
Related: About this forumJohn Calipari: Anthony Davis will be NBA's best player in less than 5 years
Every time Team USA gets together, there's talk of how players return to the NBA better. They can see how other stars work, go against them in practice and refine their individual games. If there's one guy this summer who people are talking about using this experience as a springboard to superstardom, it's New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis. His college coach, Kentucky's John Calipari, is doing nothing to temper those expectations, via USA Today's Sam Amick:
"Right now, you look at (Davis) and say, 'Man, in five years, he could be the best player in the NBA,' " Calipari said. "And this USA Basketball stuff pushes that date sooner. Again, here's what it does for him: how to work, new things to add to his game, and confidence like, 'These are the best in the world, so I'm all right.' "
Pelicans head coach Monty Williams, an assistant on Team USA, said something similar, adding that even if Davis spent his time working out with other pros, nothing would prepare him for next season like this:
"He's understanding that he is a lead dog among a number of alpha dogs. Mentally, he has taken it up a few notches, and I think Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) has been a big part of that, pushing him to be a leader, pushing him to be a guy on the team. You think about the names on this team, and you look at the impact on the game that he has, and you seldom say there's a better player on the floor than Anthony. That's got to help him from a confidence standpoint
and I think that's just going to help us going forward."
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24686314/john-calipari-anthony-davis-will-be-nbas-best-player-in-less-than-5-years
JonLP24
(29,348 posts)has the beginnings of a career as good as any all-time great. Even his first 3 games were the first ever first 3 games which a debut player records 20+ points & 7+ assists since Oscar Robertson's first 3 games.
Besides numbers he has the determined playoff performance the greats are known for. The entire game was an epic performance by Lillard, he played the entire game as if he was determined not to lose.
When I said the beginning of his career matches up to any all-time great, here is a stat from the series.
Damian Lillard - who is playing in his first postseason - is averaging 25.6 points, 7.4 assists and 6.4 rebounds through 5 games of this series. The only players over the last 35 years to average at least 25 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds through their first 5 career playoff games were LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
source - ESPN statistics and information
I'm impressed w/ Davis as well. While Lillard could score since day 1, Davis could defend. While Davis is known as a shot blocker & rebounder. He also records a lot of steals. He made huge leaps his sophmore season and he appears to have one of the most unique skillsets I've ever seen. That is why I agree he could be the best in 5-years even when it is hard to imagine anyone seriously threatening Durant or Lebron.