ESPN names Anthony Davis its No. 1 top-ranked recruit

MrsTylerKSR

anthony-davis-espn-no-1-top-ranked-recruit — (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

With college basketball about to start and the early signing period right around the corner, ESPN’s staff ranked its No. 1 recruits since the Worldwide Leader began evaluating prospects with the Class of 2007. The panel considered players’ high school, college, and NBA careers, along with where they were selected in the NBA Draft.

A very familiar name is at the top. Anthony Davis, Class of 2011, is No. 1 thanks to an incredible growth spurt in high school, his national championship year at Kentucky, and budding success in the NBA.

“Davis was special because he could post big numbers with his low-post and face-up jumpers, as well as using his length to rebound for second-chance points,” Paul Biancardi writes. “No one back in the 2011 class had elevated their game like Davis. He had gone from a relative unknown to the top prospect in the country and a McDonald’s All American.

“During his time at Perspectives Charter (Chicago), he had a seven-inch growth spurt that began after his sophomore season. Davis had guard skills, an enormous wingspan and standing reach, and extreme mobility, although he was very thin. He averaged 32 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 blocks per game as a high school senior.”

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Since then, Davis won a title at Kentucky, was the No. 1 selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, and helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2019-20 NBA Championship. A few weeks ago, he was named one of the Top 75 NBA players of all time by the league as part of its 75th-anniversary celebration.