Golden State Warriors: The Next Wave of Superstars
By John Kim
Mar 27, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets power forward Anthony Davis (23) dunks over Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) during the second quarter of a game at the New Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
PF: Anthony Davis, Kenneth Faried
As the first overall pick in the 2012 draft, Anthony Davis is expected to be the franchise player of the New Orleans Pelicans. At 19 years old, Davis averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in only 28.8 minutes per game.
The NBA is becoming a smaller and faster league and Davis’ ability to run the floor as an athletic power forward will become more and more valuable. At 6 foot 10 inches and 220 pounds, Davis has room to bulk up (remember what Dwight looked like when he entered the league?). As he does so, Davis will be one of the quickest and strongest power forwards in the league – a combination that will prove nearly unguardable by most teams.
Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets is a severely undersized power forward at 6 foot 8 inches, but at 228 pounds, he is already one of the most athletic and explosive players in the NBA. Last season, Faried averaged 11.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. His ability to crash the boards and swallow up offensive rebounds (6th best in the league) makes him an invaluable part of any team.