The 5 Best Freshmen From Kentucky's John Calipari Era

Anthony Davis, 2011-2012

PER: 35.1

Anthony Davis comes in at number one -- and that should come as no surprise for college basketball and NBA fans alike.

In his one year at Kentucky, Davis led his Wildcats to a 38-2 record and ultimately to a National Championship. He was an absolute beast.

But Davis didn't dominate on one particular end of the floor -- he thrived on both ends. His 5.9 Offensive Win Shares and 4.2 Defensive Win Shares each were best in the country, and he led a team ranked second in the country in Adjusted Offensive Rating (121.3) and eighth in Adjusted Defensive Rating (89.9).

The Brow may have averaged just 17.7 points per 40 minutes, but how he did it was so impressive. Davis posted a True Shooting Percentage of 65.4% and an Effective Field Goal Percentage of 62.8% -- both top 20 in college hoops.

Davis' raw dominance came on the defensive side of the floor. He not only grabbed 13 rebounds per 40, but he also averaged 5.8 blocks. In fact, he led the entire nation in blocks per game with 4.7 per contest.

It's no wonder Davis went from winning the national title to being selected first overall in the 2012 NBA draft to the NBA superstar he's become today.