Davis didn’t make the Olympics cut

Anthony Davis’ perfect year and incredible run of triumph after triumph has finally come to an end. He was an NCAA champion, he was player of the year, and he was the first overall draft pick in the NBA, but he won’t be an Olympian. With yesterday’s announcement of the final USA men’s basketball Olympics roster, the young star’s name was missing.

Davis would have been the odd man out on a team full of experienced and prominent NBA talent, but many figured his unmatched college talent and preponderance for stardom would have given him the edge in a roster lacking post players. The Olympics roster was far from a collection of the NBA’s best and brightest, so hopes that Davis would make the cut persisted until the very end. Unfortunately the final three spots were offered to Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala, and James Harden, each respected stars and experienced winners at a professional level, if not necessarily more useful or team-oriented players.

In the end, doubts about Anthony’s recent ankle injury and lack of international experience likely prevented him from making the cut. Many basketball fans will remember how misplaced and useless Christian Laettner appeared on the 1992 Olympics squad, the lone college player and only without future Hall of Fame honors. Davis too would have been the only guy without NBA experience, but his utter dominance at the college level is a good sign that he could have flourished in the Olympics environment.

Many Kentucky fans, and certainly the Hornets organization, consider it a shame that Davis won’t be spending time competing at the high level the Olympics offers. It would have given him a jump on his competition by experiencing tough NBA-level play in a competitive setting. Exposure to NBA players in a team setting, along with time to grow those relationships could also help ease Anthony into his NBA career and future stardom.

On a positive note, there will be more opportunities for Davis to support his country in the Olympics, and there’s little doubt he’ll be left off future rosters. His perfect year didn’t end on a perfect note, but there are plenty of chances to still make it a perfect career.