How Will Anthony Davis & Larry Johnson Compare As Hornets First Picks?

Thursday night, the New Orleans Hornets own the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, where they will almost certainly select Kentucky Wildcats star center Anthony Davis.

Davis is fresh off being named the 2012 National Player of the Year and the 2012 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, after leading the Wildcats to the SEC and NCAA titles last season.

This is the second time in Hornets franchise history that they have possessed the top pick.

Back in 1991, during their Charlotte Hornets days, the team chose UNLV Runnin' Rebels star forward Larry Johnson.

Similar to Davis, Johnson was coming off Player of the Year honors (1991) and also served as the best player on a recent national championship team (1990 UNLV).

Johnson was a Hornet for five seasons, where he was voted 1991-1992 NBA Rookie of the Year and was named to the All-Star team twice. In 1993, his early career success was rewarded with what was at the time the richest contract in league history (12-year/$84 million).

In 1996, Johnson was traded to the New York Knicks, in exchange for tough guy forward Anthony Mason and journeyman big man Brad Lohaus.  

It will be interesting to see how similar the two players' careers will compare to one other.

Johnson was a star NBA player for a couple seasons, but fans of the Hornets are hoping that Davis' career takes him all the way to the Hall of Fame.