Now it is safe to say that the consensus first pick is Anthony Davis. However, since we don’t know for certain that the Bobcats are going to get the first pick, the team will have to be ready to choose someone else when it does become their turn.

So besides Davis, who do we want? What about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist?

John Calipari seems to have an eye for talent and this year’s team of Wildcats is one of the best ever. Any top recruit that doesn’t go to NBA U, aka Kentucky, is just nuts. A couple years ago he lost five guys to the draft; this season he is expected to lose six—including Kidd-Gilchrist.

A look at the stats and you might think he’s a little over hyped. On the season he averaged just 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds a game. Good? Yes. Top five pick worthy? Maybe.

Personally I find it a little hard to get a true judge on some of these basketball players that are coming out early, especially the ones from UK. One season does not a stud professional make, but that is pretty much how many of these guys are viewed. I don’t know the stats, but I have to wonder how many “one and done” players become stars and how many crash and burn.

When it comes to the UK guys the evaluation is even tougher. These guys were in first for much of the season and won the national championship for a reason—they were pretty darn good. When it comes to making individual evaluations on a team that is so talented how do you judge the individual talent?

Anyway…Kidd-Gilchrist has the look of a guy that could make a difference for whoever drafts him. At 6-foot 7-inches and 232 pounds he has the frame of someone who could plug in at forward or guard (ESPN lists him as a forward while Catsillusrated.com says he’s a guard). In a nut shell the man is big, but not so big that he is stuck playing one position (versatility helps).

If you watched him play there is one thing you can definitely tell about his style of play; the man is aggressive. That can be taken one of two ways. He is confident in his ability and knows how to press the competition. He could also be ripe for setting the record for fouling out as more savvy NBA players use that aggressiveness against him to draw fouls.

Should he respond well to coaching that aggressiveness can be channeled appropriately and help him become a danger on the court. However, before that can happen the man needs to become a much better shooter too. A lot of folks are rating him as the third man to come off the board even with that shortcoming; they say he can learn that in the NBA. I’d think that college would be a better place for that though.

He is a tremendous player. I am sure he is going to have a great career in the NBA. However, I don’t think he is ready for the prime time of the NBA just yet. If he is available when the Bobcats pick I hope they pass.