In 2012, when Jim Nantz said on national television, "The Kentucky coronation is complete," Kentucky completed one of the most dominant seasons in college basketball history. Freshman star Anthony Davis led the Cats to a 67-59 win over Kansas in the final - but just 12 months before that shining moment, Davis had no intention of playing in Lexington at all... until one thing changed his mind.
Davis was the No. 1 player in high school hoops, to no surpeise. He started out as an unranked 6-foot-3 guard and then grew seven inches during his junior season, rapidly climbing the recruiting rankings as a result. Suddenly, everyone wanted Davis, but he'd already made up his mind. Davis had made up his mind: He was going to be a Buckeye.
“I was a huge LeBron James fan. Growing up, I had all his shoes, I wore 23, all that. Like Bron is him, right? It drew me to want to go to Ohio State," Davis began. "Obviously he never been there, but I know he always supports Ohio State. Thad Matta was the coach at the time… I told him like, ‘Yo, I’m committing. I’m verbally committing to Ohio State.’
Kentucky's historic 2012 season may have never happened, but Rupp Arena changed everything.
Thad Matta and Ohio State had to really hate Kentucky/John Calipari in 2010-11.
— HS Top Recruits (@HSTopRecruiting) July 31, 2026
Knocking off their 34-3 team and stealing arguably the greatest college basketball player of the modern era is rough. pic.twitter.com/LGM7HQPGqk
Rupp Arena Changed Anthony Davis' Mind on Kentucky
Anthony Davis was on Hoops Lore when he dove into his eventual decision to join Kentucky.
Davis said he watched Kentucky send John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and Eric Bledsoe to the first round of the NBA Draft, and the one-and-done era was just beginning. So, he was just going "on a visit," with no intention of being a Kentucky Wildcat, for his Dad's sake.
Davis then sat and talked with Coach Calipari, and, still, he was completely disinterested, before he hit the floor at Rupp prior to a game. "Oh my gosh. Rupp Arena, one of the best arenas to ever play in... This is the experience I need," Davis realized, way back when.
Things Turned Out Well for AD
The future NBA champion then had to call Coach Motta and let him know that he was no longer going to be a Buckeye. That specifically was something that Davis said was the "hardest thing" he has ever had to do.
However, I guess you could say it turned out pretty well for Davis? He won just about every major award a player can win on the collegiate level, captured a title, and then went first in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Kentucky hung banner eight, Davis got to the next level, and Ohio State had to hold another loss from Coach Cal and the Cats; Davis' commitment to Kentucky came ino 2010 and, one year later, the Brandon Knight-led Wildcats beat out the top-seeded Buckeyes in the Elite Eight. That's a brutal run.
A brutal run that led to one of Kentucky's best runs of all time, and it almost never happened. But in the end, BBN won the day by showing up and showing out, like they always do.
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