NEWARK — Despite playing just one season for Kentucky, a university that has become nearly synonymous with the one-and-done era of the N.B.A. draft, Anthony Davis is a bit of a throwback when it comes to top draft picks.

Not a household name coming out of high school, Davis rocketed to fame by leading a talent-packed Wildcats team through a dominant season that culminated in an N.C.A.A. championship. For his efforts, the New Orleans Hornets made him the first pick of the 2012 draft on Thursday.
It is a story that seemingly has more in common with Carmelo Anthony, who had a similar rise to prominence with Syracuse in 2003, than with Kyrie Irving or John Wall, the last two top picks.
Since 2005, when the N.B.A. instituted a rule that players must be at least one year removed from high school before entering the draft, many high schoolers have been preordained as future stars and attended college largely to fill the one required year. Davis, however, lacked the profile of players like Greg Oden, LeBron James and Wall because, less than three years ago, the 6-foot-11 power forward was a 6-foot-3 guard.
When asked how the year in college had benefited him, Davis said: “I think I changed a lot. I became more of a leader, more mature, developed a post game I didn’t have going into Kentucky.”
Davis also credited the system put in place by Coach John Calipari for giving him a head start on his professional career.
“He coached in the pros before, so it helped me, as well, to become ready,” Davis said. “He runs his practices in the program as a pro team, and I think me going to Kentucky really helped me become prepared.”
Proving that point, Davis’s teammate, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, was chosen by the Charlotte Bobcats with the second pick in the draft, the first time that the first two picks belonged to the same college team.
“We have two down and four more to go,” Davis said when told of Kidd-Gilchrist’s selection, referring to the other four members of the Kentucky team expected to be drafted. “Hopefully, all of them go in the first round.”
Like many famous power forwards before him, including Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, Davis appears to be overly modest with his listed height.
As part of the N.B.A.’s pre-draft combine, all prospects are measured with shoes and without. Without shoes, Davis was listed at 6 feet 9 ¼ inches, just a half-inch shorter than Andre Drummond, one of the draft’s few players listed at 7 feet. The difference grew to 1 ¼ inches when they were wearing shoes, meaning the only thing separating Davis from being a 7-footer was sneaker choice and rounding up.
The Hornets get an instant upgrade on both offense and defense. Davis, with a standing reach of 9 feet, is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker to go along with his developing interior game on offense. The only criticism leveled against him is his lack of experience playing in the paint compared with some of his counterparts, largely as a result of his late growth spurt. He is also thin by N.B.A. standards, weighing in at 222 pounds.
Florida’s Bradley Beal was selected third by the Washington Wizards in a return to prominence for the shooting guard position, which had fallen out of favor as teams became obsessed with length and versatility. A deft outside shooter, Beal will be paired with Wall in Washington’s backcourt. Ranked as the No. 5 prospect by Draftexpress.com, Beal was at the top of many wish lists not just for his shooting; he can occasionally run the point and play solid defense.
The top five was rounded out by Dion Waiters, a guard from Syracuse who was selected by Cleveland, and Thomas Robinson, a power forward from Kansas who was chosen by Sacramento.
In the early going, the only true surprise was the reception that Commissioner David Stern received from the fans in Newark.
Voicing discontent after a lockout-shortened season in which Stern’s decisions came under a great deal of scrutiny, the fans booed throughout his opening remarks. True to form, Stern smiled throughout and continued with what he wanted to say.