For the past couple of seasons, it has been accepted by anyone around the NBA that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are far and away the two best players in the league today. The gap between those two and everyone else is as wide as the Grand Canyon.
At least that was the case the past couple of seasons. After averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks per game in his sophomore season, Anthony Davis is primed for a break-out year in his third season in the league. And everyone is starting to notice the once-in-a-lifetime talent the big man has.
In its Annual GM Survey, the NBA asked GMs across the league who they would start their franchise with if they could sign any player in the NBA today, and the results were not as one-sided as most would expect.
If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the NBA, who would it be?
1. LeBron James, Cleveland — 50.0%
2. Anthony Davis, New Orleans — 25.0%
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City — 25.0%
Last year: LeBron James — 89.7%
Whoa.
While most in NBA circles have high expectations for Davis after what he accomplished last season (Shaq is the only other player in league history to put up similar numbers before the age of 22), seeing his name up there with Durant and James is still a bit surprising.
With expectations sky-high heading into this year, Davis has the opportunity to launch himself into the upper-echelon of NBA stars. And at just 21-years-old, the big man has a chance to dominate for a long, long time.