NBA Mentors: Which former stars could help current talent?

Anthony Davis and Tim Duncan

Okay, we’re cheating a little bit. Obviously, Duncan is still very much an active player in the NBA, but his presence certainly does not defy the criteria, as the Spurs big man already holds the greatest list of accomplishments for any power forward in league history during what is a Hall of Fame career. At any rate, this would be a match made in heaven for a multitude of reasons.

Like Duncan, the now 21-year-old Davis had a large change in trajectory with regard to his basketball career at a relatively “old” age, as the former point guard blossomed into a 6-foot-11 behemoth by the time he reached his collegiate stop at Kentucky. However, unlike Duncan, Davis is not a finished product after two seasons in the NBA, and while his considerable talents have yielded a 20-10 season at the age of 20 and a spot near (or at) the top of any power forward rankings, he has some development on the horizon in order to reach his Hall of Fame ceiling.

One of the biggest knocks on Davis at this stage comes on the defensive end, where he possesses absolutely elite potential (as evidenced by 2.8 blocks per game last season), but he often displays lapses in team concepts and fundamentals. Clearly, age is a factor in any shortcomings that Davis may possess, but Duncan happens to be one of the smartest, most fundamental defenders in league history, and there is a reason that the Spurs legend holds a top-5 mark in career defensive win shares, even without the added benefit of historic shot-blocking numbers.

In addition, Davis (and any other NBA player) could greatly benefit from the “all business” approach of Duncan, and there is no NBA legend that possesses a more spotless track record as a teammate than the former Wake Forest star. No one is worried about the development of Anthony Davis, but if we all agree to place him in a bunker with Tim Duncan for a period of time, there is no scenario in which it would not benefit his long-term growth.