Pelicans' Anthony Davis on Pace to Become Youngest Player to Average 20 and 10
New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis is on pace to become the youngest player in NBA history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in a season, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Davis, who turns 21 on March 11, is averaging 20.4 points and 10.1 boards through 54 games, following a 29-point, 14-rebound outing against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. His 29 double-doubles this season are tied for 12th-best in the NBA, and he's one of just six players in the top 20 for both scoring and rebounding average.
As if all that weren't enough, the former Kentucky Wildcat leads the league at 2.9 blocks per game, with his 154 swats trailing only Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka's 156. Davis is poised to set a record with his points and rebounds, yet his greatest strength is guarding the rim.
If he does indeed finish the season with 20 points and 10 blocks per game—far from a sure thing—Davis will just barely beat out Shaquille O'Neal for a small spot in league history.
O'Neal incredibly had 23.4 points and 13.9 rebounds as a rookie for the Orlando Magic in 1992-1993, finishing that season at the age of 21 years, 49 days. Davis, meanwhile, will be 21 years and 36 days when the Pelicans conclude their season April 16, meaning that he'd beat O'Neal out by 13 days.
