Nerlens Noel: Immense Pressure and Expectations Come with Kentucky Commitment

If Nerlens Noel wants to know what acceptable play means as he takes the court for Kentucky, it will be no less than winning a national championship and becoming the best basketball player in the nation. Good luck. 

Before we get into the future we can't predict and a player that is yet to prove himself, let me state straight out that I like Nerlens Noel. 

The kid has more than talent, he has that star quality that can really get fans into the game. However, that comes with an immense catch, that is as plain to see as the UK carved into his dome when he announced on national TV that he would be "taking his talents" to Kentucky. 

Those "talents" you hear him talk about are immense, and it's the reason we all were so captivated by this kid deciding where to matriculate next season. 

The fact that he is a Wildcat makes them contenders once again, and possible favorites to repeat as champions. 

I encourage you to look at some tape on the young man who runs the court with such agility it really should be considered unfair. 

When you add his ability to block shots and the maturity of form he uses to do so, you can see why comparisons are coming between him and Anthony Davis. 

I hope you like pressure, kid. 

Davis, the presumed No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, just polished off a season that little kids with a basketball hoop and ball dream about all their lives. 

Not only did he lead his team to a championship, he was unquestioned as the best player in the nation, locking down the paint on both ends of the court, and generally dominating the course of games. 

I am not about to say that this young man has no clue what this decision means, because I am sure he pondered on it ad nauseum. 

Well, what the hell. 

He has no clue. He isn't merely playing against the expectations of his own talent, something that Davis had to counter all season. He is playing against the success of another phenom that came right before him. 

The best thing Kentucky fans can do is let Noel be himself and realize that lightning never strikes in the same place twice. 

Nerlens Noel is not here to be the next Anthony Davis, merely the first ever Nerlens Noel. So let's just enjoy it. 

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