John Grisham knows and you know every good drama has its defining moments. Sports seasons do too and No. 1 ranked Kentucky has had enough already to make a novel.

• December 3, 2011 via CBS, college basketball discovered a new household word not named Sullinger, Harrison Barnes or whoever Duke’s newest star is. North Carolina’s John Henson rose up from ten feet to pop an all but certain game winner at Rupp Arena. Anthony Davis introduced himself.

Anthony Who was no more. Henson-Davis became a seismic moment at ESPN.

• A week later in Bloomington No. 1 Wildcats swaggered in, Marquis Teague dialed up Show-My-Homeys show, Terrence Jones should’ve stayed on the bus and Indiana’s Christian Watford became the assassin.

Another seismic moment seen frequently on teevee.

• One month and 11 wins-in-a-row later John Calipari floated a notion that a loss could be good for his players. Before Adolph Rupp turned over in his grave again and Big Blue Nation was aghast at their coach’s proposition, fate knocked at the door on the afternoon of January 28 in Baton Rouge and provided a new antagonist.

LSU’s Malcolm Anthony Allen White chased down Anthony Davis, grabbed the spindly 19-year-old by the shoulders and floored him. Calipari went into a profane-laced rage as his franchise player lay on the floor.

Rushing to Davis’ aid, were Jones, Darius Miller, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and the rest. A scene for Chapter Six or an exclamation point on Kentucky’s most complete 40 minutes of the season? Either way, standing there in a blue uniformed cluster, Jones and the others seemed to get it. The us-against-them moment gave birth to team-ness.

An instant of such gravity, the Malcolm White Moment earned a spot alongside Henson-rejection, and Christian Watford prayer. Here was a moment to dispel Calipari’s idea a loss would be good medicine and might have instead caused Cal to wink.

If Blue Nation is indeed witnessing pieces starting to blend into a seamless work, then Kentucky is at a threshold of being special. Special as in what? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Grisham knows and you know a good novel can be made great by emergence of a strong central character. One with poise and presence to galvanize the cast. A figure to marvel at, one gifted with an others-first persona. Anthony Davis.

DON’T FALL IN LOVE

Why do Kentucky fans revere Adolph Rupp? Cawood Ledford? Bill Keightley?

Why are Cliff Hagan and Frank Ramsey still heroes more than half-century on? Why are Dan Issel, Kyle Macy, Cotton Nash, Jack Givens, Jamal Mashburn, Chuck Hayes and Patrick Patterson still household words?

Yes, yes, mountains of points, rebounds, records and seven decades of winning more games than Kansas, North Carolina, Duke and the rest.

And yes, to vivid imagery – stylish fast break, Hagan hook shots, Ramsey white knuckle drives, Issel pump fakes, Macy’s socks, the Goose, Monster Mash and Warrior Patterson

The answers. They stuck around.

• Rupp coached in one place 42 years, Ledford voiced the stories for 39.

• Players stayed long enough to be All-Americans, then pocketed plenty from professional hoops. When the ball stopped bouncing their legacy was a popular presence in hearts of Big Blue Nation and invitations to be Y Man at home games.

• They, and a host of other stars – Johnny Cox, Pat Riley, Bob Burrow, Sam Bowie and more – stayed long enough for you to fall in love.

Now comes Anthony Davis. Makes you wince, doesn’t it, when Jay Bilas and the studio analysts project Davis No. 1 NBA pick in June?

Too bad.

Davis is good and signs he will become more than that.

Launch pad-long, he projects a stoic presence, savvy, and under appreciated poise.

Brings Bill Russell to mind. Russell knew and Davis appears to understand a controlled glare achieves more than clinched fists. Like Russell, Davis seems to project: “Push me, hold, grab, trip, take your cheap shots … I’ll see you at the rim. When you get there, I’ll be waiting. And, I’ll be back too.”

THAT was Russell. Indications so far, this IS Davis.

Moreover, in ways Russell and Hall of Fame brethren Larry Bird and Earvin Johnson understood, Davis can let go four shots in a game or 14 and he never pouts, but instead remains concentrated on precision, following instructions.

Like Russell, Davis hurries, but does not rush, end-line to end-line and arrives on time every time. Fans and teevee talking heads watching Kentucky witness a selfless team man who at 19-years-old, gets it.

Like Russell, Davis goes about his work with precision and patrician elegance and blue collar zeal.

And yet, with a coach who puts emphasis on fill-your-pockets one-and-done ahead of embrace the precious present, get an education, where Davis is concerned, don’t fall in love.

He won’t be around long.

1. In frenzy not seen since Tim Duncan in 1997, NBA bloodsuckers, league bottom feeders, will maneuver, even lose games, cheat, and climb over each other to draft the Russell-like prodigy in June.

2. Too, if you want an Anthony Davis game jersey, the College Basketball Store will sell you one for $74.95. Davis’ share? Nadda.

As good and popular as the gangly 19-year-old is, as rich as he becomes, his name is destined for second-class status on Kentucky’s pantheon of basketball hero elite. On a list Big Blue loyalists might call: “We kinda, sorta love and remember you, but you didn’t stick around.”

Anthony Davis’ name will go on the Club B-Team under Brandon Knight, John Wall, Jodie Meeks, Rajon Rondo, Kalenna Azubuike and Rex Chapman.

Don’t fall in love.

And so it goes.