If you’re reading this, odds are good you remember where you were on this day exactly 15 years ago. It’s the day Anthony Davis, the unibrowed wonder, announced his commitment to Kentucky over DePaul, Ohio State and Syracuse. A breakout AAU season with the Chicago MeanStreets led to a meteoric rise from unknown mid-major talent […]
If you’re reading this, odds are good you remember where you were on this day exactly 15 years ago. It’s the day Anthony Davis, the unibrowed wonder, announced his commitment to Kentucky over DePaul, Ohio State and Syracuse.
A breakout AAU season with the Chicago MeanStreets led to a meteoric rise from unknown mid-major talent to closing out as the No. 1 player in the class of 2011. At the time, he joined a group that also featured five-stars Michael Gilchrist — who later changed his name to Kidd-Gilchrist — and Marquis Teague, with Kyle Wiltjer also joining the fun down the road to give the Wildcats four top-20 signees going into 2011-12.
It was Coach Cal’s status as a father figure that led him to Lexington.
“Coach [John] Calipari is easy to talk to and he listens to what you are saying,” Davis told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi. “[Calipari] will be a father figure to me away from home. He’s a demanding coach that will not tell me what I want to hear, but what I need to hear to improve.”
Following his commitment, the standout forward went on to average 32 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocked shots as a senior at Perspectives Charter High School in Chicago. He was named to the 2011 McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
Davis would go on to win National Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player, starting all 40 games for the Wildcats while leading the team in points (14.2) and rebounds (10.4) en route to the program’s eighth national championship and the No. 1 draft pick in 2012.
Category: General Sports
