Nerlens Noel came to Kentucky as the nation's No. 1-ranked recruit. He was a skinny, 6-foot-10 kid. He had signature hair (albeit atop his head, not on his face). He had a ridiculous reputation as a shot blocker. So, yeah, folks were going to compare him to Anthony Davis. Which seemed (and sort of still does) wildly unfair. But then there's this …
Ten games into his college career, Noel ranks top-10 nationally in blocks (39) and steals (28), and he's on pace to finish top-five in NCAA freshman history in both categories – although neither stat was recognized by the NCAA until 1985-86. Noel is also second among SEC players in rebounds per game (9.0). And get this: He's the only player in the country averaging at least 10 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists per game.
Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter's Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.