Anthony Davis, Kentucky star and likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, clearly has a lot of respect for Kobe Bryant. Even before entering the NBA, Davis is already licking his chops over the idea of shutting down Kobe. 
"He's a monster. So I just want to go out there and play my hardest. There's a lot of guys that can't stop Kobe," said Anthony in an interview on 'The Dan Patrick Show'. "So if I stop him I could be one of the guys that say, 'I shut Kobe down'."
The 6'10" forward-center is likely going to be disappointed. That has nothing to do with his lack of ability or Kobe's exorbitant amount of it, but rather the positional disparity. The likelihood of Davis ending up guarding Kobe is slim and if it does happen on a switch, it probably won't last for long.
Sure, Kobe will attack the basket and mix it up with Davis, but that is far different than going at each other 1-on-1. Davis has made quite a reputation for himself as a great defender, but guarding a shooting guard is far different than banging in the paint.
It's easy to see why Davis has dreams of going toe-to-toe with Kobe. He grew up watching Kobe and the Lakers chase championships. He was three years old when Kobe was drafted, timing that was conducive for the young Davis to be influenced by the Laker entered stardom.
That said, perhaps Davis should focus on bulking up and standing up to the likes of Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan, or Serge Ibaka. That would serve a greater purpose, rather than picking on the little 2-guard that is Kobe Bryant.
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