Are we watching a former UK Wildcat become the best basketball player on the planet?

Fast-break points from the royal baby nursery:

21. Anthony Davis. Are we watching the ex-Kentucky Wildcats star develop into the best basketball player on the planet?

20. New Orleans sweep. In the Pelicans' four-game NBA playoffs sweep of Portland, the 6-foot-11 Davis averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots. In Saturday's series clincher, the ex-UK star had 47 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

19. Dominant after DeMarcus. Since the Pelicans' lost their other former UK post player, DeMarcus Cousins, to a ruptured Achilles tendon Jan. 26, Davis has 17 games in which he's scored more than 30 points (counting the playoffs), seven games in which he's gone over 40 points and one — 53 against Phoenix Feb. 26 — in which he went above 50.

18. An intriguing Davis question. If, as expected, Golden State closes out San Antonio and advances to face New Orleans in the Western Conference semifinals, would New Orleans risk having Davis defend Warriors star Kevin Durant in critical phases of games?

17. Becoming the best player in basketball? LeBron James is 33, Stephen Curry is 30, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both 29, while James Harden is 28. Davis, meanwhile, just turned 25 on March 13. Davis is already one of the NBA's six best players and he is years younger than the others on that list.

16. Can he stay healthy? The only thing apt to keep Davis from becoming a multiple winner of the NBA MVP Award is injury. In his six years in the NBA, he has played fewer than 70 games in a season four times.

15. Rajon Rondo. The ex-UK point guard, now directing the New Orleans attack, is still the most interesting player in the NBA when he is "on."

14. Darius Miller. Won the 2008 Sweet Sixteen championship at Mason County. Won the 2012 NCAA title with UK. Claimed three German Bundesliga crowns (2015-17) with Brose Bamberg. Just helped New Orleans win its first NBA playoff series since 2008.

13. Walker Buehler. The ex-Henry Clay pitching star — the top-rated prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization — was slated to make his first major-league start Monday night against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium.

12. Lexington to L.A. Players from Lexington have played substantial roles in Los Angeles Dodgers history.

11. Lou Johnson. The outfielder from the original Dunbar High School hit two home runs for the Dodgers in the 1965 World Series, including one in Game 7 to back Sandy Koufax in what became a 2-0 win over the Minnesota Twins.

10. John Shelby. In the 1988 season, the outfielder from Henry Clay hit 10 home runs and drove in 64 runs for L.A. to help Orel Hershiser, Kirk Gibson and Co. win the World Series.

9. A.J. Ellis. From 2008-16, the former Paul Laurence Dunbar standout was a Dodgers catcher, team leader and the best friend of current L.A. pitching ace Clayton Kershaw.

8. 2016 Kentucky Wildcats offensive line. Two years ago, one of the major keys to UK's making the TaxSlayer Bowl was the Cats' ability to play nine players regularly and two-platoon each position on the offensive front other than center.

7. 2017 Kentucky Wildcats offensive line. Last year, UK's drive to a Music City Bowl appearance was boosted when the Wildcats stopped trying to replicate the previous season's platoon and settled on five, six guys playing whole games..

6. 2018 Kentucky Wildcats offensive line? Kentucky OL coach John Schlarman says it is too soon to say which approach the Cats will take in 2018.

5. To be determined. "We've got to see how some of those guys develop on the second unit," Schlarman says. "To put (a second-string offensive line) in the game, they have to almost outplay the guys ahead of them. Because, if it is a push, you go with the more experienced guy."

4. Kentucky quarterback battle. I asked the top two competitors for the vacant UK QB position to evaluate how their rival played in spring practice..

3. Terry Wilson on Gunnar Hoak. "He did great," Wilson said of Hoak. "At the quarterback position, we are always so supportive of (all) the quarterbacks."

2. Gunnar Hoak on Terry Wilson. "I thought he did well overall," Hoak said of Wilson, a junior-college transfer. "I thought he had a good spring practice. He's definitely getting better, starting to learn the offense pretty well. He did good."

1. "Touchdown Terry" or "Terry Touchdown?" Since he transferred to UK for the spring semester, I've seen both variations for Wilson's nickname. Which does he prefer?

"Both are fine," Wilson said, "but it started as 'Terry Touchdown.'"

Now, we know.

Mark Story: 859-231-3230, Twitter: @markcstory

This story was originally published April 23, 2018 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Are we watching a former UK Wildcat become the best basketball player on the planet?."