HoopsHype.com Rumors

Late last summer during the 2012 Rookie Transition Program and 2012 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot, respectively, Panini America officials asked several of the most talented young stars in the league to show off their artistic talents by handcrafting their best off-the-cuff sketches. Presented below is an art gallery of sorts showcasing just some of our favorites. From the uplifting sentiments shared by 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving to the high-brow humor fashioned by Anthony Davis, we think you’ll find these miniature masterpieces the perfect off-court diversion for your Sunday afternoon. Enjoy. Panini America

Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis 

New Orleans Hornets rookie and top overall draft pick Anthony Davis has been cleared to return to action on Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards. Davis has missed 11 games because of what trainers called a stress reaction in his left ankle, a condition which could have led to a fracture if not rested and treated. ESPN.com

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Though New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Anthony Davis has been cleared for contact work and practiced Monday at the New Orleans Arena, Hornets Coach Monty Williams is not sure if Davis will make his much anticipated return from a left ankle injury Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards. Regardless if he plays Tuesday, Davis' return likely will come sometime this week with Davis ramping up his conditioning work to prepare, according to Williams. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Though New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Anthony Davis has been cleared for contact work and practiced Monday at the New Orleans Arena, Hornets Coach Monty Williams is not sure if Davis will make his much anticipated return from a left ankle injury Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards. Regardless if he plays Tuesday, Davis' return likely will come sometime this week with Davis ramping up his conditioning work to prepare, according to Williams. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

But Williams said he wasn’t sure Monday if Davis had met the final clearance that involves testing the strength level in his ankle. Davis, the No. 1 overall pick in the June NBA draft, missed 11 consecutive games because of a stress reaction in his left ankle. "I’m not sure if he has to take another test today, tomorrow or has already taken it,’’ Williams said. "He’s been cleared for contact and is ramping up his conditioning. He practiced a little bit, but again (we) have to wait until tonight or tomorrow to see how he feels. He has been working with Coach Carlos (Daniel).'' New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Jennifer Hale: #Hornets Anthony Davis running up & down court w/trainer today! Still no contact drills, but did participate in walk through w/starters. Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Davis couldn’t be happier in New Orleans and he’s hoping to experience success with the Hornets, or Pelicans, for years to come. “It has embraced me well – the city of New Orleans really loves me and I love the city of New Orleans,” Davis said with a smile. “Hopefully we can have this relationship for a long time. Hopefully we can turn some things around, and maybe win a championship later on down the line.” HoopsWorld

New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis 

Davis hasn’t been medically cleared to practice yet, but he has been with the team and remained active. The Hornets have him on a rehab program as well as a developmental program. The 19-year-old believes he’ll be even better when he returns since he’s been observing and learning from the bench. “Now, I’m starting to see the game from a coach’s point of view,” Davis told HOOPSWORLD. “I’m sitting on the bench, watching, looking at guy’s tendencies and seeing what they like to do. I’m seeing the flow of the game and what to do in certain situations. It’s helping me learn a lot. The coaches are helping me a lot and I’m watching a lot of film of myself and what I can do better. It just gives me time to rest and I’m just trying to learn from this and hopefully stay healthy when I come back.” HoopsWorld

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

“It has embraced me well – the city of New Orleans really loves me and I love the city of New Orleans,” Davis said with a smile. “Hopefully we can have this relationship for a long time. Hopefully we can turn some things around, and maybe win a championship later on down the line.” HoopsWorld

New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis 

“Not really, I’m just out here trying to have fun,” Davis said when asked if he’s paying attention to the R.O.Y. race. “Damian Lillard is a great player and there are other rookies out there who great players as well, but I’m just out here having fun. If I win, I win. If I don’t, I don’t. I’m just out here having fun and I’m just happy to be in the league. Most guys don’t get that opportunity and God blessed me with it so I’m just out here trying to have fun and enjoy it.” HoopsWorld

New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis 

New Orleans Hornets rookie Anthony Davis is expected to be sidelined for another week because of a stress reaction in his left ankle that has forced him to miss seven consecutive games, Coach Monty Williams said Sunday. "If I have to guess, I think he’s a week away from us thinking about him ramping up his conditioning; let alone playing,'' Williams said. "So I just think it's still far off.'' New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Anthony Davis will miss another week because of an ankle injury, coach Monty Williams told reporters on Sunday. The New Orleans Times-Picayune quotes Williams as saying: "If I have to guess, I think he's a week away from us thinking about him ramping up his conditioning; let alone playing,'' Williams said. "So I just think it's still far off.'' USA Today

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

It could be another two weeks before New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Anthony Davis recovers sufficiently from a stress reaction in his left ankle to resume playing. Davis said Sunday after the team's shootaround at a downtown hotel that a precautionary MRI following three ankle sprains in as many days revealed the problem, which is a precursor to a more serious stress fracture that would likely manifest itself without rest and rehabilitation. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

"The fact I sprained my ankle three times in that one week, that was odd," Davis said. "So they found that inside my foot. And you know the whole Grant Hill story, so they wanted to be very cautious with the way I handled things." New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Though Anthony Davis, the No. 1 draft pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, said he would play following Monday’s practice, he was held out of last night’s game against the Knicks. The Hornets’ young star tweaked his left ankle during Monday’s practice, and the team said it wouldn’t put him on the injury report. Yesterday, the Hornets said Davis’ injury was a “stress reaction.” “I guess you could say he was frustrated [about not playing],” Hornets coach Monty Williams said. New York Post

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Jimmy Smith: #Hornets reporting @Anthony Davis has "stress reaction" in left ankle. Twitter @JimmySmithtp

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

Royce Webb: What to make of Hornets' lottery? Anthony Davis is the best rookie (26.0 PER); Austin Rivers might be the worst (5.5). Twitter @RoyceWebb

New Orleans Hornets, Austin Rivers, Anthony Davis 

For the third time in four days, New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Anthony Davis tweaked his left ankle but he is expected to start Tuesday night against the New York Knicks. Hornets Coach Monty Williams said Davis turned his ankle during Monday's practice at the Alario Center. "He turned his ankle a little bit, but I'm not sure what he's going feel like tonight,'' Williams said. "We'll see.'' New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Injuries, Anthony Davis 

"He is learning, adjusting and playing hard," Hornets coach Monty Williams said in his pre-game remarks. "The guys he plays against are the best in the world. "Some night you're playing against Serge Ibaka, the next night is Tim Duncan and after that you might have Kevin Garnett. At some point this year they're going to have to worry about Anthony. He is a very hard worker, and he is just about the most coachable player I have ever seen. We are very lucky to have him." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis 

Davis missed two games due to a concussion but returned on Nov. 9 and posted 23 ppints and 11 rebounds in a New Orleans victory over Charlotte. "He's a very good all-around player," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "He's only going to get better I think. He's in a great spot. "They're a team that tries to stay organized and do things the right way. And he's got all the physical tools." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis