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I have been covering high school basketball for 50 years and I can't remember a player who has risen so rapidly from obscurity to national prominence faster than Anthony Davis. Neither can Bob Gibbons nor Van Coleman, the national recruiting analysts who have been closer to the subject than anyone else.
Davis, a 6-10 junior at Perspectives, a charter school in the Chicago Public League's Blue-West Division, has literally come out of nowhere, as if Kobe Bryant had been discovered on a playground on the West Side. No college coach or analyst or member of the media has ever seen him play in a high school game.
But Davis made an instant and compelling and eye-opening impact at three summer events in Virginia and Indiana and all of a sudden, as fast as you can say "Who is that kid?", he is ranked as the No. 7 player in the class of 2011 by one scouting service and No. 9 in another, one spot behind the heralded Wayne Blackshear of Morgan Park.
This isn't to say that Davis doesn't deserve that elite recognition. After one look, Syracuse offered a scholarship. As fast as they could dial a telephone, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois State offered, too. The list figures to grow. He has the wingspan of a 7-footer who reminds old-timers of former Manley star Russell Cross.
More specifically, Davis could be compared to 7-footer Meyers Leonard of Robinson, who also made his reputation on the AAU circuit while leading his team to the Class 2A state championship. Davis made his bones by playing for Tai Streets' Mean Streets AAU program, not by competing against Wells or Juarez or Kelvyn Park in the lowly Blue-West.
Locally, Joe Henricksen or City/Suburban Hoops Report and Roy and Harv Schmidt of Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye have been wowed by Davis' sudden emergence. But they wonder if all of the hoopla is a case of too much, too soon. However, everybody agrees that Davis could be as good as advertised, a gifted 6-10 phenom, the kind of prospect that colleges can't afford to bide their time evaluating. Can Kentucky and Kansas be far behind?
"I was a little surprised (Davis) was rated that high nationally," Henricksen said. "I figured he would be a top 50 kid, maybe in the top 30 range. But his combination of skill, size and length is so intriguing. He is certainly a promising prospect with a huge upside who is only going to get better.
"It's true in saying you really can't project how high of a ceiling he has or where he will max out at due to his limited time playing against high-quality competition. I'm not going to pretend to be a national evaluator. I think it's a near-impossible job as I see how tough it is to cover just one state."
How tough? Henricksen admits he can't understand how Davis can be rated No. 7 or 9 in the nation in one class while Leonard couldn't crack the top 30 in another class. "Either I am way off on my player evaluations or there is one huge difference between the class of 2010 and the class of 2011 nationally," he said.
Meanwhile, the Schmidts prefer to reserve judgment until they see a lot more of Davis. They argue that rankings serve a purpose for the media and fans but they insist they are "useless" from a recruiting standpoint. They believe Davis' current ratings are "overhyped and insane," that evaluators must look at the whole season and process of development against all types of competition before coming to an accurate conclusion.
"A kid who blows up like that and then is raed as high as No. 7...wow, that is a big too much," Roy Schmidt said. "Everyone wants to discover the new big kid. That is why the whole process has become a joke. Kids' ratings and reputations are made during the spring and summer based upon 2-3 high-profile performances. As you know, there have been so many instances of kids getting to the next level and disappointing.
"This is why recruiting classes underachieve. This is why college coaches get fired. This is why so many kids transfer and why there is so much Internet speculation on available scholarships. This is why we hate rankings and focus on our scouting evaluations. Is the kid a high major prospect who can play at any top 20 program? That is way more valid to ask than if he is a top 20 player nationally. Who cares? So many NBA draftees were never close to being ranked as top 20-30 high school players."
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So the kids ranking jumped. Isnt that what AAU is for? To gain exposure? The kid plays in what is being described as the lowest competition in CPL. I would say that if the kid is dominating HS and then still preforms at an above average skill level in AAU that warrants high evaluations.
You cant knock the kid. Knock the evaluators for their rush to judgement evaluations.. It probably would make more sense if he were top 20 then rose. Cus I dounbt this kid is a better player than Jereme Richmond at the same point Jereme was last year. But let us consider that Jereme commited as a freshman. I heard through the grapevine that players who commit early or already commited seem to drop in rankings compared to players who arent commited. Sort of a "hey this kid is still available" type of thing compared to "hey this kid already commited; lets move on to the next big thing" Unless you are top 5-10 I say. Then you arent going to drop unless a Space Jam switch is done on you and your skill deteoriate to less than low major
The saga of Anthony Davis...
After having read Mr. Bell's recent post, I immediately began to realize something...
Chicago's history with great "big men"- particularly, when it comes. to the Chicago Public League.. recently, can be argued to be a bit murky.
I mean, sure... we (CPS) had great, historically, significant talent in George Wilson, Russell Cross and ... well, that's where things get a bit murky for me.
Please, don't mention to me anything about the "ex parte" influence of Kevin Garnett- he does not count, in my book.
But, think about it... we- Chicago, that is- are great at producing talented point guards and wing men... spotty, as to "pure" shooting guards.
Is it the influence of the wind gust of the Lake Michigan? Or, is it the fact that taking someone to the hoop, shakin-n-bakin, and dropping someone off with the finishing touch of- excuse George Gervin- the "finger rollll" just a part of the ruff-n-tumble, gun slinging, mobbed up style we have come to love and has been stamped upon us as what we produce the most?
Having seen Anthony Davis, the name Laurent Crawford- played for King and Simeon in the early 80's- comes to mind.
Great up-side, great physical tools to work with, and has some endearing post potential... However, something is missing...
Right... a tough, mix-it-up, this is my house, I'm the landlord, I got this covered... You know, kinda what Russell Cross and George Wilson gave us.
But, come to think about it... there were several decades between their production as the "big men of big men" have been seen- and they had great coaches.
Maybe, Anthony Davis is that "guy", if only he can stay away from the "mental and egotistical traps"- set by the media, AAU/Club Ball types, the shady local shoe company reps, and; the shoulda-woulda-coulda wanna be still be relevant 40 and 50 year hanging around looking for the next bouncing meal ticket.
On the other hand, maybe that's just part of deal... How sad is that?
Curtis K. Jackson Sr.
THIS YOUNG MAN IS DESTROYING BIG NAME COMPETITION THIS SUMMER, HE HAS MADE A WAY, OUT OF NO WAY, HE IS GETTING OFFERS BY HIS SOLID PLAY AND HIS ATTITUDE IS SECOND TO NONE!
CONGRATS TO ANTHONY, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Second Opinion...
I talked to several top tier assistant coaches and talent evaluators about Anthony Davis...
It seems, that many are high on him, most are higher on the fact that he seems not as "corrupt" as other well-famed members of Chicago's talented Class of 2011.
The inference of the importance of the AAU/ Club magnifying his rise to the top of scouting reports and salivating college coaches threatened my ability to keep down my oatmeal.
What's wrong with flying under the hype radar, practicing hard, playing well, getting good school grades, and; doing well on the ACT and SAT... trusting in the idea that: "I do my part, I'll get my due".
You see, that's what made the Chicago's Class of '79 so special... It was loaded with talent, that got their due by just playing the game.
Many sports writers around the country, I have come to respect; admittedly are now warming to the idea of the supposed "need" of the "New AAU Culture Club"- I know the big wigs at Nike, Adidas and Reebok love it- its a cheap way to influence future purchasing agents- and; it affects the bottom line of the college basketball recruiting budgets, while the NCAA loves the transatlantic-like importation of cheap labor for their corporate coffers.
Wow...
I think I'll stay put... Remain focused on the idea of: "I do my part, I'll get my due". Funny thing, the guys who produce the scouting reports, run the AAU camps and tournaments, manage the local talent stables- by proxy- for the shoe companies, and; produce the "must have" top 25, 50 or 250 rankings just keep eating for "free".
Meanwhile, as reality will have it; "most" of these same players keep playing the role as pieces of a very large economic structure set-up to keep the rich guys richer, and the players- most them- are left holding an empty bag of "pieces of a dream".
Curtis K. Jackson Sr.
QUIET AS IT IS KEPT, THIS YOUNG MAN IS THE 7TH RANKED PLAYER NATIONALLY BY RIVALS.COM!
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HIGH SCHOOL HE ATTENDS, AAU BALL HAS
MADE HIM A HOUSEHOLD NAME!
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