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Anthony Davis wins Naismith, closes in on awards sweep

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Mike Miller

Anthony Davis wasn’t a unanimous All-American, but winning the 2012 Naismith Trophy makes him one award shy of a postseason sweep as the unanimous national player of the year. Go figure.

Kentucky’s star freshman has now won top honors from the AP, college hoops writers, Sporting News and won the Wooden and Rupp. If he wins the coaches’ award, that’ll make a clean sweep.

He’s the first Kentucky player to win the Naismith Trophy and just the second freshman to do so. Kevin Durant won in 2007.

Davis leads the Wildcats (37-2) in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (10.0) and is the nation’s blocks leader (4.6).

His offensive efficiency and impressive defensive skills have been the driving force behind Kentucky’s march to the national title game.

If the Wildcats win, he’ll almost certainly add another award to his mantle: Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four. The last time a player swept awards like this and won it all was 2001 when Duke’s Shane Battier won nearly everything. The only award he didn’t win? The coaches named his teammate, Jason Williams, their player of the year.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.