It's not often you see a basketball player go from obscurity to being a household name overnight, but that's what happened to Chicago native Anthony Davis.
Davis is a lock for the first draft pick on June 28, but just two years ago, the Englewood native never thought it would get this far..
“I used to look at SLAM Magazine and all types of magazines and think, 'I wish it was me on this cover,' but as far as playing in the NBA, no. I had no thought of ever being here right now,” said Davis last Friday during the media session of the NBA Draft combine held on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus.
Davis first got people talking after playing a summer of AAU ball with the famed Mean Streets club, the same one Derrick Rose played with when he was in high school. Davis dominated on the summer circuit against elite-level talent but his high school team, Perspectives Charter School, wasn't very good.
Still Davis emerged as everybody's All-American by the time he was ready to graduate and he then accepted a scholarship from the University of Kentucky and proceeded to take the college basketball world by storm just like he did at the prep level.
The Wildcats won the National Championship, and in one year Davis won just about every award an individual can snag at the college level. Now he's on to the next chapter of his life, playing professionally in the NBA -- every kid's dream.
“[June 28th] is going to be great night,” said Davis. “Draft night, sitting at the table with me and my family just waiting to hear my name get called. I'm just going to enjoy it because I'm finally in the league now and it's time to work harder now so I can stay in the league. But it's going to be a great night and a great moment.”
Local
When he gets picked, he could be the second player from Chicago – and Englewood – since Derrick Rose to be taken first overall. It's a great accomplishment for a city that prides itself on turning out some of the most elite basketball talent in the country and who knows, Simeon's Jabari Parker might be the next Chicago native to go first in the NBA Draft behind Rose and Davis.
