By Paul M. Banks, Walterfootball.com
Mike Davis (6-9, 210, F) was one of the most improved players in the Big Ten Conference last season. He was second on the Illini in scoring and third in the Big Ten in rebounding last winter. He led the conference with nine double-doubles and 11 double-digit rebounding performances on the season.
The second-team All-Big Ten selection by coaches (Third-team pick by media) also made the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and improved his scoring average by about nine points this past year.
Davis will need to make similar strides this year if he hopes to consider leaving school after his junior year. Currently, he looks like a solid middle second-rounder in 2011.
However, the potential is certainly there for Davis’ stock to shoot up. Critics claim he lives and dies by the baseline jumper, but his shot selection and offensive decision-making are some of his best qualities, evidenced by his finishing third in the Big Ten in field-goal shooting at 53.3 percent (171-321).
If he can continue to develop a triple-threat game, he will be able to beat more opposing defenders with his little half-hooks and turnaround jump shots. His defense isn’t bad either, and this upcoming season will give him a chance to showcase it for “Association” scouts.
The Illini were a surprisingly good team last year, but they lost their best (and one of the league’s best) defenders in Chester Frazier. Coach Bruce Weber has spoken about Davis being a go-to-guy in the future, especially on the defensive end, and someone will have to step up and guard the opposing team’s best scorer like Frazier did last season. Davis will need to be that guy.
http://www.walterfootball.com/nbadraft2010profilemdavis.php
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A pure rebounder, and getting smoother on the offensive end. Fantastic defensively. If he stays til 2011, he can be Dejuan Blair but taller. And then fall like him in the draft.
Yeah…I could see him being a Blair like prospect, what are your thoughts on Tisdale? I posted a synopsis/review last night…you can post your comments there. If Archibald went 31st overall when he was a senior
Yeah…I avoided posting there because I don’t honestly know. Davis I have a handle on…Tis is a head-case.
DeJuan Blair but taller? really? Blair pushed people around inside, Davis will never do that unless he gains 65 pounds… Again, Schmidt, I’m totally disagreeing with you on this one…
I will give Davis this… he is better on the perimeter and in transition than Blair…
He may be lighter than Blair, which is something he can correct to an extent, but I saw the guy play in person a whole lot more than you did. He pushed people around quite well inside.
I clearly must have missed something in all the Illini games I watched then… cuz he didn’t push people around anywhere near how Blair did… and I watched Blair play a whole lot more than you did I guess…
Yeah I recall Davis bumpin and grinding in the post quite a bit this past winter, but mostly with the smaller teams and non-conference. not as much with the big boys. As for Blair comparisons, how this for analogy both will be drafted in the 2nd round and later become total non-factors in the NBA!