For Ed Davis, picking the draft an easy decision

On Monday morning, the North Carolina athletic department made official what was decided shortly after a broken left wrist ended his season in mid-February — that Ed Davis will enter the 2010 NBA draft.

Despite his undeniable talent, the only bona fide star from this year’s disappointing 20-17 team will not leave among the ranks of the program’s immortals due to his short stay in Chapel Hill. But there is no denying that his removal from the paint only adds to an issue that exposed the Tar Heels’ mortality last season.

Before the injury, the 6-foot-10 Richmond, Va. native led the ACC in field goal percentage and blocked shots, was second in rebounding, and was 15th in scoring — well on his way to a first-team all-conference selection.

But as seemed to be the case for North Carolina all season, reality rudely made its presence felt, this time leaving the Tar Heels without their second-ranked scorer, top rebounder and top shot blocker.

Seeing Davis leave is salt on an open wound for UNC and its fans, whose forgettable season came to an end in the final four of the NIT, while the Duke Blue Devils sauntered to their fourth NCAA Tournament title.

And though the Tar Heels enter the 2010-11 season with a trio of recruits who rank among the best in the nation, the coaches and fan base alike are well aware that McDonald’s All-Americans won’t necessarily super-size the win column.

Still, the time was right for Davis.

Despite critics who argue he would be best served by another year in college, Davis still ranks in the upper echelon of most expert draft boards. And with the steady current of uber-hyped high school seniors constantly being thrust into the conversation of the No. 1 pick, he doesn’t stand to gain anything substantial by signing on for another year in the NCAA.

Comfortably projected as a lottery pick, and with the financial differences between the top pick and mid-lottery out of play, making a case for Davis to return to campus is all but impossible — unlike when fellow Tar Heel Brandan Wright made the jump in 2007.

Davis’ skill set is far superior to Wright’s. Though Wright was a terror on the defensive end of the floor, he had the benefit of the often double-, even triple-teamed Tyler Hansbrough to ease the load offensively, inflating his production. And unlike Wright, who never had the chance, Davis was able to prove himself outside of Hansbrough’s shadow.

Davis is even superior defensively. He’s a better rebounder and  has blocked nearly as many shots (64) in 23 games this season as Wright (65) did in 37 games before leaving for the NBA.

In Wright’s defense, his decision had much more to do with helping his family.

And for that reason, he left with Roy Williams’ blessing.

Given the uncertainty of UNC’s foreseeable future and the fact that Davis is a lock for the lottery, the decision was an easy one — at least for one Tar Heel.



Contact Brandon Staton at bkstaton@gmail.com.