With the 2012 NBA draft only a day away, teams have been stockpiling draft picks in order to leverage their positions in the first round. Trades have already transpired and phone lines will be ringing off the hook up until the final pick of the draft is selected on Thursday night. With GMs on the clock and vying for the opportunity to upgrade their rosters, here Life + Times take a closer look at the elite prospects that make up the most talented class in recent years.

Fear the Brow

Every year, the debate always rages on which college player will be selected No. 1 overall in the NBA draft. This year, the first pick is unanimous– Anthony Davis. The 2012 National Player of the Year, out of Kentucky, delivered Coach John Calipari his first NCAA National Championship and the New Orleans Hornets are hoping by selecting the 6’10 center –with a 7’3 wingspan– number one overall on Thursday, that he too will lead the franchise to its first NBA title. Davis has plenty of work to do offensively to become an All-Star caliber player, but his natural talent and defensive skills are what set him apart from the rest. The shot-blocking sensation will become a Defensive Player of the Year one day, but he has a lot to learn. With his guard-like skills and the right coaching, Davis could become an all-around player more in the same vein as Hakeem Olajuwon than Tyson Chandler.