Anthony Davis: Predictions for Kentucky Star's Rookie Season

Anthony Davis is going to be a force in the NBA from Day 1. 

And finally, we know for sure what city he'll be showcasing his domination in.

Well, probably. 

With the NBA lottery now over and the Hornets holding onto the first pick—and conspiracy theorists in full swing—it's extremely probable that Davis will be heading to New Orleans to start his NBA career. 

Let's take a look at how his rookie season will take shape. 

Scoring

The one part of Davis' game everyone is at least a little concerned about is his offensive ability. Still, he has the skills to at least contribute as a role player on that end.

The long, lanky power forward is pretty raw with his back to the basket, but he'll still get his chances down there because the Hornets don't have many other offensive options in the post. 

Chris Kaman and Carl Landry are both hitting free agency and who knows what New Orleans will do with Emeka Okafor, who has shaky health. 

Where Davis will really thrive, however, is in the mid-range game. He'll have two good passing point guards in Jarrett Jack and Greivis Vasquez who should find him for plenty of open 18-foot jumpers. 

Of course, Jack and Eric Gordon both take plenty of shots, so the opportunities for Davis may be limited at the beginning.

Nonetheless, throw in open dunks and put-backs off of offensive rebounds, and Davis will find a way to score, even if it isn't always pretty.

Prediction: 12.8 points per game

Rebounding

With 10.4 rebounds in just 32 minutes per game at Kentucky, Davis proved to be a terrific rebounder. 

With his freakish wingspan and equally scary athleticism, Davis grabs a lot of rebounds at a height that most players could only dream of. 

However, his 6'10", 220-pound frame will be pushed around by stronger players inside. He's only 19, and I fully expect him to add more bulk, but if we're talking strictly rookie year, I think Davis will have some struggles at crashing the glass effectively.

Prediction: 8.2 rebounds per game

Defense

As everyone knows, Davis' greatest strengths lie on the defensive end. 

Not only is he 6'10" with orangutan arms, springy athleticism and a high basketball IQ, but he used to be a guard in high school, so he can even defend the perimeter if need be. 

I still think Davis will struggle early on in the post with true back-down defenders, but that's an area where being in New Orleans helps him.

Assuming the Hornets don't amnesty Okafor, who is a great post defender, he'll constantly guard the other team's best inside presence. Even if Okafor isn't around, Jason Smith and Gustavo Ayon are solid defenders and could also guard the post-oriented offensive players

Because New Orleans has other options down low, Davis will be able to rack up blocks helping from the weak side. He will also guard the more athletic big men and even wing players at times. When he was asked to do that at Kentucky, he thrived.

Prediction: 2.5 blocks per game, 1.0 steals per game

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