NBA Draft 2012: 5 Hurdles Anthony Davis Must Overcome to Be a Star

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The NBA is comprised of the best basketball players from around the world.

After the 2012 NBA draft, Anthony Davis has officially made the jump to that status.

As the No. 1 overall draft pick, he has to follow in the footsteps of NBA greats such as Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bill Walton and many others.

He's going to hit some obstacles along the way, but he has all of the potential to be one of the best players we've ever seen take the court.

As he enters his rookie year, here are five hurdles that he needs to leap in order to be an NBA superstar.

Size and Strength

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Anthony Davis entered the draft at 6'11" and 220 pounds.

Competition in the NBA is a lot more physical than in college basketball.  Most of the big men outweigh him by a good 20-30 pounds now.

That doesn't mean he can't be an effective player, but it does mean that he won't be dominant unless he puts on the necessary size and muscle to bang around with the big boys.

A young Kevin Garnett once entered the NBA straight out of high school at the same height and weight as Davis.

We all know how KG turned out after he packed on the pounds.

Let's hope Davis can do the same.

Top-Pick Hype

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The No. 1 pick of the draft is always subject to a ton of criticism and a ton of hype.

Boom or bust, Anthony Davis will likely be the most talked-about player all next season.

The Olympics should offer a good opportunity for him to adjust to playing top competition, but he'll need to come back for the regular season with something to prove.

He hasn't done anything as of yet to make people doubt his abilities, so let's hope he shines on the big stage next year in the NBA and avoids becoming the next Kwame Brown.

Increasing His Range

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Anthony Davis developed a nice jump shot back in high school, playing guard his first couple of years until he finally hit his growth spurt.

He had three-point range back then, but it was a lot closer than where he'll be shooting from at the professional level.

In order for him to become one of the all-time greats, he'll need to extend his distance from a mid-range jump shot to a three-point threat.

He has the potential to get it done, and he has the time to do it, too, considering he is still only 19 years old.

Big-City Pressure

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New Orleans is a player-friendly place to be—when you're playing well, that is.

After the recent success of the New Orleans Saints and a few good years under Chris Paul, New Orleans fans are accustomed to seeing a certain level of competitiveness.

Anthony Davis is at the center of this New Orleans Hornets rebuilding process, and he will be expected to produce at an All-Star-caliber level almost immediately.

He has the talent to do it, but he better hope it doesn't take too long for him to make some noise.

Improved Post Play

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Anthony Davis is a pretty talented mid-range shooter, although he didn't get to show it too often this past year.

If he has any hope of becoming a dominant big man over the next 10 to 20 years, however, he'll need to improve upon his post play.

Kentucky didn't need to throw the ball down low to Davis often because he was surrounded by talented scorers.

This year he'll be the main focus in the middle for the New Orleans Hornets, and his lack of definition is already considered an issue.

He'll need to develop that soft touch around the rim and use his body to create space in order to get the most out of his potential as an NBA power forward/center.