"Champaign Dreams" - The Sports Illustrated Mike Davis story (01/19/2009 issue)

THERE'S LITTLE about the build or the game of Illinois sophomore Mike Davis that fits the conventional mold of a power forward. At 6'9", his reedy, 210-pound frame is more reminiscent of Beaker than Barkley, and his aversion to contact in the lane, which almost borders on the neurotic, would seem to disqualify him as both a dependable low-post scorer and a rebounder. Even his voice, quiet and adenoidal, doesn't fit the image of a man expected to bang in the paint for more than 30 minutes a game. Were Davis to try to go sneaker-to-sneaker with one of the Big Ten's prototypical bruisers--say, 6'8", 235-pound DeShawn Sims of Michigan--there's every reason to suspect the initial impact alone would send his wispy body tumbling to the floor, or perhaps even spinning off into the stands.

But what Davis lacks in brawn he more than makes up for with other gifts, which have made him one of the best all-around forwards in the Big Ten. Instead of scrapping down low, he plays the game up high, using his long reach and skywalking ability to work the glass. (He ranked fourth in the conference through Sunday with 7.5 rebounds per game.) And with his exceptional quickness and soft shooting touch (he's averaging 11.9 points), he has become one of the most important cogs in coach Bruce Weber's five-man motion offense, which emphasizes passing and abrupt cuts through the lane rather than a more static post-up game. Indeed, Davis is tied for second in the Big Ten in double doubles this season, with four. "He's so long and athletic," says Weber. "He's the kind of guy you see all the time in the SEC or the ACC, but for whatever reason, rarely in the Midwest."

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