[ThepessimestParticipant]

I think both players are verys similar…  Someone break down the differences in each player.  

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

Davis can actually shoot the ball for one. Kinda a big difference.

[delfamParticipant]

 potential

[GrandmamaParticipant]

@ ChrisCross

 

Henson can knock down the mid range jumper and looks pretty fluid in doing so, go watch the tape….

 

The difference to me between the two is Davis is more athletic and has a better ability in blocking shots.  Davis is also a better ball handler, not that either of the two should be dribbling much, but Davis has better handles.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Henson and Davis to me are comparable athletically. Davis did not participate in any of the test so its hard to measure who is more athletic. Using the eye test it looks close. 

[ThepessimestParticipant]

 According to what I watched and per draftexpress.com Henson can knock down jump shots. So basically Davis gets more credit because he is younger?

They are both long, athletes, who are great defenders, slinder etc.

I was just watching some old games and noticed that Henson and Davis have similar strengths and weaknesses

[eprizzle14Participant]

Davis blockes 1.7 more shots per game

Davis shoots 20% points better from the freethrow line (prolly the most important thing, shower better touch)

Davis just impacts the game more and has a better skill set to develop offensively

 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Davis is stronger and has shown the ability to gain significant weight despite being two years younger.  Davis also has a broader frame.  Davis is the superior defender.  He is a better shot blocker and is less foul prone.  

Davis has better balance and is the superior scorer down low, at least from an NBA perspective.  He has more NBA ready post moves and is a bigger target down low, due to his outstanding hands.  Davis is also the superior shooter and ball handler.

Henson is a solid prospect, but as a junior he was less productive than Davis was as a freshman.  Davis averaged more ppg with far superior efficiency.  As freshman, he was more productive and more physically gifted with more room to improve his body.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Davis is stronger and has shown the ability to gain significant weight despite being two years younger.  Davis also has a broader frame.  Davis is the superior defender.  He is a better shot blocker and is less foul prone.  

Davis has better balance and is the superior scorer down low, at least from an NBA perspective.  He has more NBA ready post moves and is a bigger target down low, due to his outstanding hands.  Davis is also the superior shooter and ball handler.

Henson is a solid prospect, but as a junior he was less productive than Davis was as a freshman.  Davis averaged more ppg with far superior efficiency.  As freshman, he was more productive and more physically gifted with more room to improve his body.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

I’m not sure how one would say Davis is stronger than Henson. Also, Davis did average more ppg but I’m not sure Davis scored often off of much else other than lobs, etc. He is a very sound post player. I question his ability to get his shot as I do Henson. I’m simply saying to me they are very similar prospects with the exception being that Henson is older. 

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

Henson still shot 51% from the FT line last year. It also took three years for Henson to improve his jumpshot before he was god-awful, and still isn’t a consistent shooter. And just because you make shots in a shooting drill or 3v3 or whatever drill doesn’t translate to making shots in a real game. I bet a lot of people on this site would make shots in a shooting drill.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Hmmmm…  I know so people on here are super sold on Davis. I’m suggesting that when I think back to watching both plays (ignoring the 2 year age advantage) I see a similar player with similar strengths. Both players are inconsistent shootes. Both are rail thin athletic forwards with long wing spans. Both block shots out of nowwhere. Both can run the floor and both I question if they can consistently score in the post.

I think people forget Davis made 1 FG in the college championship game. He blocked shots, rebounded, etc to impact the game.

I think there are assumptions being made about Davis because he is younger that may or MAY NOT end up being true. 

Just a thought. The question was asked to get people to think. 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I see what you’re saying, but you have to concede that Davis simply has much more room to grow and is the easily superior player right now.  Henson has had three years in college and is still physically weaker than Davis and is a worse shooter with a less refined post game.  And it isn’t a negative that Davis is a threat for lobs. 

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

while Davis shot poorly in the NC game, it was one game, a bad shooting night. Everyone has one of those, heck remember this year when Kobe shot 3-21 vs New Orleans, one game. I watched just about every UK game this year, being from Kentucky, Davis consistently made jump shots outside of the paint at about 40%, fairly good for a PF.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

I think to those who are afraid to question the supposed sure thing just think back to the past. Lol! I remember asking the following question:

"Why makes Mike Dunleavy better than Tyshaun Prince"

People laughed and told me about Dunleavy’s blood lines, shooting stroke, basketball IQ, etc. Sometimes things just get repeated so often that people do not question them.

Anthony Davis to me reminds me of Marcus Camby. I hope he proves me wrong. But right now I question if he can carry a franchise from an offensive standpoint. In college he didn’t have to.

That is all…  

[ThepessimestParticipant]

How often was Davis "asked" to make jump shots? I understand he showed an ability to make that shot but if we were all honest he scored on hustle plays and lob dunks and transition opportunities and the defense being broken down and him getting opportunities off of penetration. 

I’m just asking… He showed nice touch around the rim when asked. I love him as a prospect but I do have some questions. 

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Point taken..  Their strengths are very similar is my point. If you consider Davis a guy who can get you 20 on the block based upon what we watched then you are not being sincere. I know Davis is the flavor of the month and anyone asking this question is going to be laughed at. We’ll see I guess. 

[220Participant]

Anthony Davis does almost everything better than John Henson and he’s younger.

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

 ok, well you harping on him like he’s supposed to be a complete player at age 19 right now, when he just started playing the PF spot, of course he has questions, just like every player. Lebron James had questions about his jump shot coming out, and he’s still a poor 3 point shooter, yet he’s still the best player or 2nd best.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Everything except their body and defense

[ThepessimestParticipant]

I’m not sure bringing up Lebron James (as if Davis is even in his league as an expected top pick) is fair to Davis. I’m simply stating that what he is being drafted to be he was not asked to be in college. In New Orleans they need a go to guy. They need a super star and he is being heralded as that when his strength is his ability on defense. I’m not asking him to be perfect I’m simply bringing up some questions. I have heard KG comparisons. I saw KG in high school. His skill level was ridiculous. But like I said we will see…

I see Marcus Camby not Kevin Garnett. If I am wrong I will eat my words. I hope I’m wrong. If he turns into KG 2.0 then we win because we get to watch greatness. 

[llperez]

Davis is more skilled showing better shooting, handles, and passing and actually dominated games. He moves very fluid while Henson is doesn’t cover ground as quick at either end

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

 New Orleans has a go to guy on offense, Eric Gordon. He being brought in to be a impact shot blocker that effect just about every shot inside the paint. Davis in a few years will be the top shot blocker in the league, his impact is more than just scoring the points, and it might be more important. I think you don’t value his defense enough. Davis’s defense will improve the Hornets or any team greatly. Yes Davis won’t be an offensive force, at least to start, but not many guys will have the impact he does on defense. Davis’s shot blocking will improve their defense by at least 2-4ppg, which is a lot for one player. Plus he’s a prime canidate to get 10+rpg.

Think about this for his rookie year, 14ppg, 10rpg, 3bpg, 2apg. Davis’s impact is all around, not just scoring. Basketball is more than scoring.

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

 Plus he shoots the ball at a high %, over 60% that’s increadibly effective. I’d rather have a guy who score 15ppg at 60% than a guy who scores 22ppg at 40%. Plus Davis gets rebounds and blocks shots.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 I assume you are just trolling asking that question. 

[ThepessimestParticipant]

I read where someone talked about his handle yet in college he was not asked to play using his handle. So again I want to see him do the things that is stated before I say what he can do.

I saw where someone said I devalue his defense. I do not.  Simply stated, top draft picks are asked to dominate games.

Also, someone brought up Eric Gordon; isn’t he a free agent?

I’m not trolling…

But as I said… I’m sure someone was said to be trolling when they questioned other top picks. Every great college player does not dominate the pros.

And remember in the league athletically he is not a marvel. We shall see.

 

[TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipant]

this year and Davis was superior in every way, especially maximizing his length and distorting shots. He even took the opportunity to show off his mid range jumper. Then blocked Henson to end the game.

C’mon son

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

 Davis does dominate games, he does it by altering every shot in the paint. If he took more shots he’d score a lot more, he didn’t lead his team in shot attemps, yet lead the team in ppg. He didn’t have to take a lot of shots because he played on a really good team with 5 other guys that could get 20 on any night. 

Eric Gordon is a RFA, NO will be able to match any offer, he’ll be back.

 

[ThepessimestParticipant]

 Here is Kwame Brown’s draft profile…

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/kwame-brown

NBA Comparison: Kevin Garnett

 

Strengths: Like Garnett, KB has freakish athleticism. Already bulkier than Garnett and could turn into more of a Webber type post player. Very graceful running the floor. Tremendous leaping aility. Passes and handles extraordinarily well for a 6-11 player. May still be growing. Touch on shots is excellent, and should only improve. Post game is solid. Very good shot blocker.

But I’m told I’m trolling because I’m asking questions. Lol!

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

what is your point? he might not turn out well? well yes he "might" not, just like every other player in the history of basketball. There’s always going to be a risk of drafting any player, there is no such thing as a "sure thing" Every player could become a bust, congrats.

 

Plus Kwame never went to college and dominated the college game and never won player of the year or won a national title.

[surveParticipant]

Both were guards in HS and had huge growth spurts, but Davis was the naturally bigger player which allowed him to play on the interior immediately whereas because Henson was 180lbs…UNC spent over a year trying to make him into a perimeter/wing player.  They found out he was not and he gained weight and learned to play more on the inside.

If Henson had been in Davis’ place at UK, he could not have played effectively on the inside.  Henson coming out of HS was compared to Kevin Durant because of his virtually identical frame and the fact that he liked to operate on the perimeter.   Henson was pretty skilled at a young age he just didnt have the body.  He had a decent handle and can shoot inside with both hands including hook shots.  When he came into college he was playing behind a loaded front court of Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller, Dion Thompson, and the Wear Twins.  He still made an impact in his time played and averaged 4.3 blocks per 40 min.

Henson is really being underated by those who havent watched him since his HS days.  Davis’ frame is going to allow him to be an effective player in the post and thats where he will be.  Henson is still advancing his skills and will be able to play away from the basket a lot which he prefers.

So they grew into their bodies different and their games developed differently.   Henson is going to play and be a lot more active outside of the post and Davis will operate deeper in the lane.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

 Davis dominated the college game on the defensive end of the court. In the NBA the game is a little different. Davis is a 6’10 thin player. What will help him is that the NBA game is going to more small ball. And yes that was my point. Was to discuss him realistically instead of the hype machine that has started. Steve Kerr was on ESPN radio saying that Davis is more gifted offensively than KG is right now. Larry Brown said he will be Duncan and Russell combined. So therefore I am discussing him from a realistic point of view.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Thank you for breaking that down. I definitely appreciate that you can see the question I am asking. Great post! 

[CodySLCParticipant]

They have a lot of similarities, like build and shot blocking.(Davis being quite a bit better)That being said, Davis is younger, better in the post and slightly better on defence.

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

 davis is more skilled and rekes havoc everywhere on the court…..

hes a better athlete and younger to

dude is just better than henson… like LL said… he does everything better than him

[HaleParticipant]

The difference is Davis is bigger, younger and pretty much better in every facet except for jump shooting. Sorry ChrisCross but Henson’s mid range game is actually quite good, especially his turnaround jumper.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Well if not trolling, then your answer is that Davis is young and presumably going to get better, while Henson has played three years of high level ball and will probably only improve a bit. 

Davis is also already very good on offense and defense. He shot 65%!!! That is a really high percentage. And it wasn’t like he took 5 shots a game. He averaged about 15 points or so a game. Henson also averaged that last year, but it was on 50% shooting. There is a huge difference between those numbers. 

Also though Henson is a shot blocker, Davis was a much better shot blocker. If we were talking about points per game and Henson was a 20 points per game player you would be arguing that that is basically the same as being a 30 points per game player. That is how much better Davis was at blocking shots. 

So Davis will score efficiently and then defend the rim recking havoc on opposing offenses. Henson will simply play well. 

But one thing I have to agree with you, Davis did not display a jumper in college. People are remembering the makes much more than the misses there. But if he doesn’t need a jumper to score 15 or so points a game on ridiculously high shooting percentages, then he will be totally fine of offense even if he never develops a post game or a jumper. 

Most likely he will develop a standstill jumper when wideopen like how Ibaka developed one over several years. That will be good enough if he is blocking four shots a game and grabbing ten boards. 

[xavier328Participant]

Potential Potential POTENTIAL…is the REAL big differences.

Davis has better shot block timing and Free throw shooting….Most of Davis’s points where from put backs and lobs i dont know what you guys are talking about saying  Davis post game is better than Henson. Henson post game is more polish at this point. 

[ThepessimestParticipant]

I didn’t know that being a 20 year old junior meant that you have reached your potential. Again, I’m asking you guys to look at both guys. Isn’t it amazing how time changes perception? So now that Henson stayed until he was a junior he doesn’t have as much "upside" as a guy who is 2 years younger. Interesting perception.

And Henson, on a team with Barnes, Zeller (another lottery big man), averaged 13 and 10 with 3 blocks. He was there eraser. Their shot blocker.

I think Henson can be a terror on defense in the NBA if he lands in the right position.

 

[TruettParticipant]

 … but davis has shown that he has more… My big concerns with Henson are 1) he is not athletic (30 inch max vert is below average even for a dude his size); 2) He is not strong 6’9” w/out shoes and 216 is like anthony randolph skinny (how has that worked out for him?) especially when you consider that he had 3 years to put on weight… makes it seem like weight is going to be an issue. He doesn’t have any real offense that is going to translate because he can’t shoot and there is no way that he is going to be able to post guys up. Physically and skill wise he reminds me a lot of Larry Sanders who averaged an impressive 12 mins per game for the bucks last year.

I think Davis weighed less than a lot of people wanted him too as well, but he has shown the ability to gain weight which will allow him to play more in games (as he might be able to box people out and maintain some post position). He has has shown superior athleticism (tho it is not confirmed through the combine) on tape. He shot 70% from the stripe last year as well which is pretty impressive for a college big man and suggests that he could do some pick and pop next year as well as pick and roll. That said, I think that part of the intrigue with Davis is that he did so well with such a narrowly defined role last year, so we dont really know what he can’t do. He has the potential to be a very disappointing pick in that he could just be a really solid player and not the next KG like everyone else thinks.

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Davis can handle the ball at a much better level, his jump shot is much more fluid, though Henson is far from a bad mid range shooter. Potential wise, Davis has a higher ceiling than Henson as well. Davis has better fluidity when blocking shots, and has a better awareness with his help side D, coming from across lanes and swatting shots.

[surveParticipant]

 …players are not going to be at the same level at the same stage….thats not comprehensible to compare.  the thing is, the Davis hype is ridiculous.

Davis and Henson’s roles were different.  Saying one shot 65% and the other 50% in one year of college doesnt mean anything.  Davis was a center and he played with other guys who scored well in the interior.  Henson was a PF, and played away from the basket more.  UNC’s defense was terrible at times and without effort….without someone forcing guys in the lane, its not as easy to rack up blocks.

Here is where the hype gets proposterous….the argument is age….Davis at 18 is better than Henson….ok.  In the same breath you guys say he is another KG when thats crazy because KG was much more skilled at an even younger age than Davis was.  So you see the double standard there?

Every player doesnt progress at the same rate, also, every player has their own set of circumstances.  Tayshaun Prince was mentioned here and thats more of the type of player Henson is….a tenacious defender who likes to play away from the basket, where Davis is more the Camby mold where he controls the interior.  They are different players.  Henson is doubtful to ever be a guy to dominate anything in the post….just doesnt have that frame.  Like Tayshaun….he has a particular frame and thats that.  He doesnt have the SF skills of Prince of course and wont play as far out on the perimeter, just using that as an example to say Henson is not the interior player that Davis is.

The difference is, because Henson has lesser frame than Davis, his position when he got to college wasnt clearly defined.  Where Davis had Terrence Jones and MKG to help him inside, yet no one on the bench to challenge his minutes…his situation was different.  Henson as a freshman was as high as a top 5 player coming out of HS, but had to play behind 5 other guys who were all 6’10" or better, all weighing more than him…and all were HS All-Americans.  There was no room at PF so because Henson had been a guard just a year before basically, they tried to make him into a SF.  What if Davis went somewhere and they tried to make him a SF or a face up 4?  Henson’s choice to go to UNC and play behind talent and develop could be valuable to him as a pro.

There have been many occasions where a guy came into college and played one or two years and was drafted off of upside and there was another guy that came in and played three or four years and became the better pro.  Everyone’s situation is different and everyone doesnt progress, peak, or find their niche at the same exact time.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Summer league isn’t an end all be all but Henson looks really good! Making 3 pointers and rebounding and scoring the ball.  

[Author]

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