Hornets coach Monty Williams still won’t publicly commit to taking Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, but hopes that former UConn star Emeka Okafor can mentor Davis when he does join the league.
“It’s always good to have a guy who’s been there, done that,” Williams told ESPN’s Andy Katz at the Chicago Pre-Draft Combine. “Emeka can take some of the bruising away from Anthony. Guys are going to try to go at him right away. Any young player coming into the league is going to need veteran leadership. Coaches can help with that but no one’s better than having a guy who’s been there, done that.”
Asked how they might complement one another, Williams said he needed to watch more film on Davis, the consensus National Player of the Year.
“Emeka’s more of a rebounder, shot-blocker, finisher around the basket, second shot guy,” he said. “Anthony’s going to create more obviously. We think he’s going to get better offensively, in the event that we do pick Anthony.”
Williams said Davis is a “high-character guy who is offensively ahead of where I thought he was just watching him on film.”
“Defensively, he looks like a guy that’s been in the league for two, three years,” he said. “He understands defense. Keeps his hands up high, blocks shots that should be blocked all the time. He distracts shots, and that’s something that we love. He runs the floor.
“But he’s such a good kid. And Pop [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] taught me a long time ago not to mess it up, and that’s my plan in the event that we do pick Anthony.”
New Orleans also picks at No. 10, giving them the chance to add another quality player in addition to Davis.
