Hornets select Kentucky’s Anthony Davis with No. 1 pick in NBA draft

NEWARK, N.J. – Kentucky is off to a 1-2 start at the NBA draft.

After the New Orleans Hornets selected Kentucky forward Anthony Davis with the No. 1 pick Thursday, Charlotte followed by taking fellow freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Davis will begin his pro career in the same city where he ended it with a national title. College basketball’s player of the year as a freshman was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four despite shooting just 1 for 10 from the field in the championship game, grabbing 16 rebounds and blocking six shots in the victory over Kansas.

Davis slipped on a blue and purple Hornets hat above a conservative grey suit that took no attention away from basketball’s most famous eyebrow. Davis even attempted to capitalize on the attention his unibrow gets, trademarking “Fear The Brow” and “Raise The Brow” earlier this month.

On the floor, Davis has the agility of a guard — and he was one only a few years ago.

The 6-foot-10 Davis averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.7 blocks, becoming a dominant defender after growing 7 inches from the start of his junior year of high school.

He led off what could be a busy night for the Wildcats, who could have five first-round picks.

The pick of Kidd-Gilchrist was loudly cheered, a sharp contrast from the boos Commissioner David Stern received when coming out to announce the picks. The swingman played in high school at nearby St. Patrick’s in Elizabeth, N.J., and fans chanted “MKG! MKG!” as he walked off the stage.

Florida’s Bradley Beal went third to Washington, making it three SEC freshman in the first three picks. Cleveland followed with the surprisingly early pick of Syracuse sixth man Dion Waiters at No. 4.