2011 PF Anthony Davis Makes Mark on Defensive End

In one of the five 11am  games at the Los Angelas Nike EYBL, Chicago’s Mean Streets Express took on Howard Pulley and 2011 PF Anthony Davis continued his stellar spring play. Helping Mean Streets Express to hand Howard Pulley only their second loss in the EYBL series, Davis showed why he was the buzz of the spring AAU period. Memphis Roar had a chance to catch up with Davis after the game.


“[The Nike EYBL] has been a great experience,” Davis said after the game. “I’ve gotten to go up against a lot of talented players that meet up to my caliber.”

“In my school league, I haven’t been playing a lot of good competition, but here is a different story. I can really show my skills.”

Offensively, the 6’10″ 200-pound Davis is still in need of some fine-tuning. He showed very little touch on the ball and seemed somewhat lost on offense. Most of his struggles were, in part, due to the Mean Streets guards inability to run the pick and roll and feed the post. Defensively, Davis was a game-changer.

Describing the obvious strength of his game, Davis said, “I’m so long. I’ve got a 7-foot wingspan, so I can really block some shots. I am a good shot blocker and that’s what I try to do on defense.”

“I’m working on my strength,” said Davis. “Everyone says I need to get stronger, so I think if I can do that I’ll be much more effective.”

Down the stretch,  Davis made the difference. He made it difficult for anyone on Howard Pulley to get in the lane and finished the game with double-digit blocks. For Davis, it’s not all about the exact number of shots he blocks. He changes so many shots because of his presence and length. Davis is extremely long and skilled while possessing an uncanny ability to run the floor. He showed flashes of great hands and can knock down the perimeter jumper. In the post Davis has trouble holding his position due to his lack of strength but his length makes it almost impossible for his shot to be contested to the point that it bothers him.

With schools like Memphis, Ohio State, Syracuse, Kentucky, Xavier, DePaul, Michigan State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Purdue, and others lined up for Davis services, the word of advice is patience.

“I am nowhere close to figuring out where I want to go right now,” Davis explained. “I’ve got a lot of good schools recruiting me.”

Speaking specifically on Memphis, Davis said, “Memphis is a great program. They are in my top ten and I’m looking forward to takinga visit down there sometime soon and seeing how they feel and what they are all about.”

About the Author

Brooks Hansen

Brooks is the founder and brains, if you can call 'em that, behind Memphis Roar. As the primary writer and scouting director for Memphis Roar, Brooks travels to prep sporting events across the country and brings you the latest on Memphis-relevant news. Brooks has big hands and is thumb-wrestling champion in 43 states. His favorite piece of advice would be if a clown offers you a hamburger and it’s not Ronald McDonald, do not eat the hamburger. A lesson learned the hard way. Brooks received his Bachelors of Arts and Sciences from the University of Memphis in 2005 in Psychology (minor of Philosophy and Biology) and went on to pursue his master’s degree in Experimental Neuroscience. Google+

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