The Kentucky Wildcats will be well represented during the NBA All Star Weekend. Two of Kentucky's most recent and famous sons will be on opposing teams when the East faces off against the West on Sunday at 8:00 PM onTNT. John Wall and Anthony Davis were the first Wildcats named to an NBA All Star Team other than Rajon Rondo since 2003.
While both players are still relatively new in the NBA, both are having breakout seasons with the Wizards and the Pelicans. I wanted to take the time to honor each player for this great achievement in the still very early stages of their careers. Whether or not one agrees with John Calipari's "One and Done" philosophy, one cannot argue the benefits his players have reaped under his tutelage.
Contrary to popular belief, both Wall and Davis are proud of their Kentucky past and have traveled back to the Commonwealth multiple in order to revisit their old stomping grounds and to take part in coach Cal's charity events. There is a specific fan base and section of the media that hate to admit that players like Wall and Davis care about the program, the fans and the coaches at Kentucky. They pursue the myth that Cal's players use the University for nothing more than personal gain and that their college experience is just a necessary evil of getting to the draft, but this just isn't true. These young men, along with their teammates, still bleed blue.
John Wall:
Time Spent at Kentucky- 2009-2010
Stats at Kentucky- 16.6 ppg; 1.8 spg; 6.5 apg; 4.3 rpg
Collegiate Awards- All SEC Rookie Team; First Team All SEC; SEC Tournament MVP; SEC Player of the Year; Adolph Rupp Trophy; First Team All American
Coolest Moment as a Wildcat- The John Wall Dance
NBA Draft Pick- #1 to the Washington Wizards
Time Spent with the Wizards- 2010-Present
NBA Stats (Career)- 17.5 ppg; 1.6 spg; 8.1 apg; 4.4 rpg
NBA Stats (All Star Season)- 19.8 ppg; 2.0 spg; 8.6 apg; 4.4 rpg
NBA Awards- NBA All Rookie First Team; NBA Rising Star (2012); NBA Rookie Challenge MVP (2011); NBA All Star (2014); NBA Dunk Contest Participant (2014)
Relevant NBA Video-
Anthony Davis:
Time Spent at Kentucky- 2011-2012
Stats at Kentucky- 14.2 ppg; 4.7 bpg; 10.4 rpg; 1.3 apg
Collegiate Awards- SEC Player of the Year; USBWA National Freshman of the Year; National Defensive Player of the Year; First Team All American; Consensus National Player of the Year; NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player; 2012 National Champion
Coolest Moment as a Wildcat- Blocking Jon Henson's last second shot attempt
NBA Draft Pick- #1 to the New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans)
Time Spent with the Pelicans- 2012-Present
NBA Stats (Career)- 16.0 ppg; 2.3 bpg; 9.0 rpg; 1.1 apg
NBA Stats (All Star Season)- 20.4 ppg; 3.3 bpg; 10.4 rpg; 1.4 apg
NBA Awards- NBA Rising Star (2013-2014); NBA All Rookie First Team (2013); NBA All Star (2014)
Olympics- Gold Medal winner in basketball in 2012
Relevant NBA Video-
Again, congratulations to John Wall and Anthony Davis. As you can see by their awards, their stats and their achievements, they are extremely special players with extremely bright futures. They epitomize what it is to be a Wildcat with their performance on the court, their off the court behavior, their work ethic, and their will to win.
We will be hearing much more about these two as well as many other ‘Cats in the NBA for years to come. As a Kentucky fan, it makes me proud to have representatives of BBN playing at the highest level.
Go Big Blue!