Kentucky head coach John Calipari, center, stands with former players Anthony Davis, left, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, right, before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June, 28, 2012, in Newark, N.J. Davis was selected the No. 1 overall pick by the New Orleans Hornets, and Kidd-Gilchrist was selected No. 2 by the Charlotte Bobcats. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Former Kentucky men’s basketball National Player of the Year Anthony Davis was named the Lexington Herald-Leader 2012 Kentucky Sportsman of the Year at the second annual Bluegrass Sports Awards banquet Thursday night.
Davis was selected from a group of finalists including Teddy Bridgewater, John Calipari, Randall Cobb, Dermonti Dawson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tom Jurich, A’dia Mathies, Darius Miller and Charlie Strong.
The 2012 National Player of the Year by various organizations, Davis earned the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Associated Press Player of the Year, Naismith Award, Sporting News Player of the Year, Basketball Times Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award. He also was named a 2012 NCAA consensus first-team unanimous All-America selection, earning the national Freshman, Defensive Player and Big Man awards.
Davis helped lead Kentucky to its eighth national championship in men’s basketball and was named the 2012 Final Four Most Outstanding Player for his efforts.
Furthermore, the Chicago native set a new standard in the NCAA freshman record books for blocks in a season with 186 swats. The new mark also stands as a conference and UK single-season record. He led the league in blocks (186), field-goal percentage (.623) and double-doubles (20). The overall No. 1 draft pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Davis was also a member of Team USA that won Olympic gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Sportsman of the Year award, given annually since 1981, is voted on by sports media statewide.
8 Responses to Anthony Davis Named Kentucky Sportsman of the Year
Leave a Reply
Blue Zoom Radio Show
Polls
Loading ...Choose Your Favorite!
They couldn’t have picked a better one…congrats Anthony-well deserved!
I also heard AD was The Pilot of the Jet that took the Players to the Final Four…He Did it all and Won Everything, WOW ! Well deserved Anthony Davis…” Proud To Be A Wildcat :…
His name belongs up at the rafters!!!
Bryan, you are right. Have to put Davis’ jersey up in Rupp rafters
Agreed !
Agreed.
Has their EVER been a player to EARN that many awards…AS A FRESHMAN?
*there.
Where is the edit button?
The list of nominees was impressive, but given the year that Anthony had, there was really no other choice. Congratulations, AD, on a memorable year, and thank you again for being a Wildcat!