Anthony Davis: Who Should New Orleans Hornets Pair Kentucky Star With?

While Anthony Davis is the clear choice for the New Orleans Hornets at No. 1 in the NBA draft, the Hornets should concentrate on finding a player with the 10th pick who will most help the Unibrow's progression.

Don't worry about position. Don't worry about best player available. Don't even worry about what kind of suit he's wearing.

Davis is New Orleans' franchise savior. He's an elite player, no doubt, but putting the right player next to him will help maximize his potential. The Hornets must tend to his needs. 

Let's take a look at players who will fit well with the former Kentucky star. 

Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

First and foremost, Davis and the Hornets are still going to need more help underneath. New Orleans just shipped off Emeka Okafor to Washington, and Carl Landry and Chris Kaman are both free agents.

While Meyers Leonard is also a nice option to put at the center position next to Davis, he's still too much of a project on the offensive end. Putting two raw offensive players down low isn't a great recipe for success, even if the defense would be dominant. 

Instead, put the long, uber-athletic Davis next to Zeller, who doesn't have a high ceiling, but is ready to contribute right away.

The North Carolina big man has a good post-game with his back to the basket, he has solid speed and athleticism and he can even hit the spot-up jumper.

Zeller struggles with rebounding, but the big center is the perfect complement next to Davis. 

Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State

It's very unlikely that Lillard slips to New Orleans at No. 10, but if it were to happen, it would be terrific news for the Hornets.

Davis doesn't have much of a post game, but his ability to knock down the jumper will make him a threat in the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop game. 

The Hornets aren't sold on Jarrett Jack at point guard, so grabbing Lillard to take over makes sense. The Weber State product isn't a terrific floor general, but he's proven he can excel at passing off the pick-and-roll.

That's all Davis needs.

Austin Rivers is a possibility, too, but he's a little too much like Eric Gordon, and their styles would clash too much to be successful. 

Other Options

Andre Drummond next to Anthony Davis would be an insanely scary combination for the next 15 years, but I don't see Drummond falling that far. 

Jeremy Lamb would give Davis a nice outside threat to work the inside-outside game. Also, Lamb's defense is solid and would help New Orleans keep their defensive mindset. 

Jared Sullinger, much like Tyler Zeller, is kind of the opposite to Davis, so they would complement each other down low. However, it's unlikely the Hornets reach for the big man, considering his injury concerns. 

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