Chris Dortch of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and blueribbonyearbookonline.com has done work for Sports Illustrated and now also writes for NBA.com and SEC.com.
He expected both Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to have big freshmen seasons at Kentucky. Davis is averaging 13.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game while hitting 62.9 percent from the field. He leads the nation in blocked shots with 98. Kidd-Gilchrist is adding 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and is second on the team in steals with 25, seven behind Davis. Kidd-Gilchrist is a 49.5 percent shooter.
After watching a recent Kentucky victory, Dortch shared some insights on Kentucky’s two star freshmen:
Question: After watching Kidd-Gilchrist and Davis play in person, did your impressions of either one change?
Dortch: “My impressions of each of them didn’t change. What changed is my perception of the role they have at Kentucky. It now seems like they are the acknowledged leaders of this team, even ahead of guys who have been in the program.”
Question: Is there a collegiate player who impacts a game more defensively than Davis and how do you rate his offensive game?
Dortch: “No. I haven’t seen a player impact the game defensively the way he does. What’s amazing is that he doesn’t just block shots in the paint, or get a bunch of his blocks from the weak side. He can go out past the 3-point line and block shots.
“Regarding his offensive game, my guess is that we haven’t seen all he’s capable of yet because he’s needed to do other things. (Coach John Calipari) needs a post player, but I’m sure Davis has face-up skills. He could easily play the three spot, not just from an offensive standpoint but defensively as well.
Question: How many players can impact a game in a variety of ways that Kidd-Gilchrist can, and does he remind you of any previous player you have seen?
Dortch: “This is going to sound kind of strange, but when I saw him on Saturday, he reminded me of a young Michael Jordan. Certainly he has those kind of hops, but the way he jumped up there and stuck that 3-pointer late in the game, which I thought was the turning point, the separator that Kentucky needed, really impressed me. That was Jordanesque. He just kind of has that look about him.”
Question: Do you sense that Kentucky's older players now defer to Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist?
Dortch: “Going back to my earlier answer, yes, I do. It seems as though it’s their program now.”
Question: Is there a more potent 1-2 combo in the Southeastern Conference than them?
Dortch: “Offensively, I’m sure you could come up with a couple of teammates who are as impactful. But the whole package — defense, competitive fire, et cetera, I’m not sure I’d take another pair off any other team in the league.”
Question: If you had to pick one attribute you like best about each player, what would it be?
Dortch: “I like Davis’ ability to basically be a one-man zone. If you take the number of shots he blocks, plus the number he alters, I’ll be it’s around 10 to 12 per game. Not all of those shots would have been made, but if you add the number of points he saves with his defense to the number he scores, there aren’t many players in the country providing that kind of production to his team.
“I like Kidd-Gilchrist’s presence. You just don’t see that in a guy so young. The word ‘warrior’ is overused in sports, but that kid is a warrior. I love the way he plays.”
He expected both Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to have big freshmen seasons at Kentucky. Davis is averaging 13.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game while hitting 62.9 percent from the field. He leads the nation in blocked shots with 98. Kidd-Gilchrist is adding 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and is second on the team in steals with 25, seven behind Davis. Kidd-Gilchrist is a 49.5 percent shooter.
After watching a recent Kentucky victory, Dortch shared some insights on Kentucky’s two star freshmen:
Question: After watching Kidd-Gilchrist and Davis play in person, did your impressions of either one change?
Dortch: “My impressions of each of them didn’t change. What changed is my perception of the role they have at Kentucky. It now seems like they are the acknowledged leaders of this team, even ahead of guys who have been in the program.”
Question: Is there a collegiate player who impacts a game more defensively than Davis and how do you rate his offensive game?
Dortch: “No. I haven’t seen a player impact the game defensively the way he does. What’s amazing is that he doesn’t just block shots in the paint, or get a bunch of his blocks from the weak side. He can go out past the 3-point line and block shots.
“Regarding his offensive game, my guess is that we haven’t seen all he’s capable of yet because he’s needed to do other things. (Coach John Calipari) needs a post player, but I’m sure Davis has face-up skills. He could easily play the three spot, not just from an offensive standpoint but defensively as well.
Question: How many players can impact a game in a variety of ways that Kidd-Gilchrist can, and does he remind you of any previous player you have seen?
Dortch: “This is going to sound kind of strange, but when I saw him on Saturday, he reminded me of a young Michael Jordan. Certainly he has those kind of hops, but the way he jumped up there and stuck that 3-pointer late in the game, which I thought was the turning point, the separator that Kentucky needed, really impressed me. That was Jordanesque. He just kind of has that look about him.”
Question: Do you sense that Kentucky's older players now defer to Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist?
Dortch: “Going back to my earlier answer, yes, I do. It seems as though it’s their program now.”
Question: Is there a more potent 1-2 combo in the Southeastern Conference than them?
Dortch: “Offensively, I’m sure you could come up with a couple of teammates who are as impactful. But the whole package — defense, competitive fire, et cetera, I’m not sure I’d take another pair off any other team in the league.”
Question: If you had to pick one attribute you like best about each player, what would it be?
Dortch: “I like Davis’ ability to basically be a one-man zone. If you take the number of shots he blocks, plus the number he alters, I’ll be it’s around 10 to 12 per game. Not all of those shots would have been made, but if you add the number of points he saves with his defense to the number he scores, there aren’t many players in the country providing that kind of production to his team.
“I like Kidd-Gilchrist’s presence. You just don’t see that in a guy so young. The word ‘warrior’ is overused in sports, but that kid is a warrior. I love the way he plays.”
