Davis ready to put Warriors on his shoulders

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. - (KRT) - Give us a short answer, Baron Davis: What's the best way for new people to understand who you are and where you're going?

``In order to understand me,'' Davis said, ``don't think. What you see is what you get.''

So many levels to that one, Baron. So many things to see.

Wednesday, the Warriors point guard finished a two-hour workout, then, as if magnetically drawn, plopped within arm's reach of his 84-year-old grandmother, who had come to Santa Monica College to watch Davis run his youth basketball camp.

``You've known Baron a long time,'' his grandmother, Lela ``Madea'' Nicholson, said to me with a sweetness and clarity that shot shivers down my neck. ``You and I met today, so we're friends now.''

Freeze that scene: That's the adoring grandson, the son of South Central Los Angeles, the prince of the city and mentor to scores of at-risk kids. What you see is what he is.

But to Warriors fans, Davis, 26, is the man who transformed a franchise last February, the vocal leader, fast-break wizard, potential most valuable player, and No. 1 hope to end the Warriors' 11-season playoff drought.

Don't think: What do you see?

``I came from the bottom,'' Davis said. ``And I kept climbing, with determination.''

What if it goes bad with the Warriors? Does he understand the responsibility he has?

``I can handle anything,'' Davis said. ``I've been on my own, having to make decisions since I was 3, 4 years old. People getting mad at me if we're losing, that does not bother me. Because I'm going to do everything in my power for us not to lose.

``I have huge shoulders. I can accept anything that comes my way.''

So, Baron Davis, what in life does give you trouble?

``Dishonesty,'' Davis said. ``Definitely dishonesty.''

That sums up his departure from the New Orleans Hornets, who pumped him up as a superstar, then slowly began to think of him as a malingerer and an inciter.



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Hold your breath, it's Tim Kawakami, but you get to hear Baron.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">OK, Baron, more quick answers: Which Warriors player did you connect with best on court? ``Probably Jason Richardson,'' Davis said. Off the court? ``Mickael Pietrus.''</div>
And his granny

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Can you give us a short answer, Madea: What do you think of your grandson's new team?

``I love the Warriors,'' Nicholson said.

Five feet away, her grandson broke into the most explosive smile in NBA history, and if you saw it, you understood everything.

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What's funny is this quote

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">``I can handle anything,'' Davis said. ``I've been on my own, having to make decisions since I was 3, 4 years old. People getting mad at me if we're losing, that does not bother me. Because I'm going to do everything in my power for us not to lose.</div>
Obviously, 3 to 4 years old means his number of years in the NBA since his draft. But it was funny at first read. It's not like an actual 3 to 4 year old toddler would make tough decisions like where to go to college or when to start learning to use the big potty. Still that quote took me for a ride!

 

Eh, I thought he meant 3-4 years old. Think, living in south central LA, mom probably was not around because she was working and could not afford day care. Who knows...

 

B. Diddy is one of these few PGs that can make any team in the NBA better.

 

He is such an underrated leader. Remember when he showed up here? Instant hope. What a guy. He will be like Steve Nash for us...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Agreed, alot of people think he is a chucker (they may be right) and a punk but he is a perfect fit for our team. We've long needed a superstar to attract double teams, allowing J-Rich, Murphy, Dun, etc to get some easier shots and he gets everyone involved and helps Jason with the scoring load plus plays good defense on other PGs. In my opinion he is the best all around point guard in the league, Jason Kidd cant shoot well, Nash cant play defense, Marbury cant pass. Baron can do it all plus rebound and post guys up. He is much younger than any of those guys and is the most athletically gifted PG in the league, he is quick, extremely strong for his position, has great hops, and pretty tall for his position. I dont think any other PG in the league is a better fit for the Warriors.</div>
I think Baron Davis is the closest thing to getting a cross between Jason Kidd's or Steve Nash's ability to make open court play successful and Steve Francis' or Stephon Marbury's unstoppable drives and scoring talent. Plus the size, strength and speed at 6'3 is pretty darn awesome to have.

Btw the Marbury comment, he's a very good playmaker with courtvision, but you're probably right on his passing accuracy/consistency. Everytime he does those nba skills contests he demonstrates his weaknesses on simple bounce passes or chest passes. Guys like Fisher, Boykins, Nash, Baron usually smoke him in the point guard skills contests because they can pass in all sorts of ways consistently. So while the assist numbers are there for Marbury, there's definitely some flaws to his point guard passing game and at moments where he tries to take over and doesn't pass. He's more like a 2 guard, he's not a great team leader, and part of motivating your team to working around your play is to be able to trust your teammates and get them to follow you. But Marbury sure can run the pick and roll, drive, and create for others. At least he commands double team respect since most guards aren't as talll, strong or fast as him.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Warriorfansnc93:</div><div class="quote_post">Eh, I thought he meant 3-4 years old. Think, living in south central LA, mom probably was not around because she was working and could not afford day care. Who knows...</div> At 3-4 years old??? Maybe he was a kid genius like the baby from Family Guy.

 

The crazy part is that many of the Warrior fans have never really seen Davis play. Kawakami hinted at it. When Baron starts throwing it down on 3s, and 4s, with power the O-Rena is going to explode. I'm getting my mini-plan the day of the open house.

 

Hey CohanHater you ever see that one dunk he threw down on Jermaine O'neil in 2003-2004 as a Hornet? Holy crap, Bdiddy got so fired up after that J-Rich styled dome buster, he took off his headband. When that headband comes off he means business.

 

I remember seeing that highlight. On the bottom it said "Jermaine O'Neal, meet Baron Davis."

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AnimeFANatic:</div><div class="quote_post">I remember seeing that highlight. On the bottom it said "Jermaine O'Neal, meet Baron Davis."</div>
AnimeFanatic, did you see the Dunleavy alley oop to Bdiddy with the reverse 180 dunk? Oh man, best play I've seen in a while next to anything J-Rich does on the break or up in the air.

 

True story..........I remember back when Francis was with the Rockets, I used to think Davis was so overrated. So Francis and Davis were going toe 2 toe. Davis was going off, and Francis was somewhat. End of 3rd quarter. 4th quarter starts, and Baron Davis went CRAZY. He was doing everything you could think of. 3's, assist, dunks, I mean it was something I've never seen before. I can remember this one play where he crossed over Francis (made him fall) at the top of the key, drove the lane and threw down a NASTY dunk on Cato, and got fouled!! Pure Nasty!!! From that point I've never underestimated the guy. He's a BEAST!!

 

Man that must have been some game, rock.

I remember Baron Davis really humilated the Warriors in the 03 season and made assistant coach Tom Sterner look like a complete dumbass. Here is an assistant coach of Musselman's that gets interviewed during halftime on what he's going to do strategy wise to stop Baron Davis and win the game, and the team ends up doubling Baron and other people start scoring. Baron's a franchise guy, you can't take him out of the game because once the attention is on him, he'll set other guys up. I plain just didn't like Sterner or the way Musselman ran the team defensively or offensively. The only reason he looked good was because we had 4 pretty darn good scorers on our team (3 pre-allstars) and some productive guys off the bench like healthy Foyle and Earl Boykins who played all open court ball. We even had Dampier who was only okay most nights. A team that can run and score will look good, but in actuality there's no organization to win against teams that control the tempo by slowing it down and out-executing us. We still have the remnants of that team unfortunately, but hopefully they'll learn the right way to play in addition to being able to run like they did during the Musselman years. No more plays other than just "passing and cutting" where the other team can figure it out after one half. No more not paying attention to help and team defense. One year in real season probably isn't good enough to break old habits and learn new ones that Mullin wants the guys to learn. The more ways this team can play, the more teams they're going to win against and I think Baron is going to lead that charge because he understands and can do what this team needs in order to win on both offensive and defensive ends.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post"> I can remember this one play where he crossed over Francis (made him fall) at the top of the key, drove the lane and threw down a NASTY dunk on Cato, and got fouled!! Pure Nasty!!! From that point I've never underestimated the guy. He's a BEAST!!</div>

I think I know what you're talking about, and I actually have this clip ... it was one of the nastiest dunks I've ever seen and it got no pub..(btw, it was on Eddie Griffin, not Cato)


http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3ACTUX5...QA103BYXOEOLQ3L


I got the one on KG too (I'll post it if u haven't seen it), but it was one of the nastiest facials ever so I think everyone has seen it....

I also have a bunch of clips from his UCLA days, unfortunately it's on VHS so I can't post it... but he had one where Earl Watson threw it off the glass and Davis jumped over the back of the defender trailing Watson and threw it down over him...nasty!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">I think I know what you're talking about, and I actually have this clip ... it was one of the nastiest dunks I've ever seen and it got no pub..(btw, it was on Eddie Griffin, not Cato)


http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3ACTUX5...QA103BYXOEOLQ3L


I got the one on KG too (I'll post it if u haven't seen it), but it was one of the nastiest facials ever so I think everyone has seen it....

I also have a bunch of clips from his UCLA days, unfortunately it's on VHS so I can't post it... but he had one where Earl Watson threw it off the glass and Davis jumped over the back of the defender trailing Watson and threw it down over him...nasty!</div> Thanks notmuchgame for the clip. That's really awesome of you. If you have any others that would be appreciated. That was pure nasty. Anytime it's right on top of a good defender after losing another good defender (Steve Francis is pretty good defender and Eddie Griffin is all right).

Saw the clip and man you know you got your defender screwed when they're under the basket and all they can do is stay set and put their arms up. He gathered his feet and did a power jump off two feet for the slam. He looked like Jrich.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks notmuchgame for the clip. That's really awesome of you. If you have any others that would be appreciated. That was pure nasty. Anytime it's right on top of a good defender after losing another good defender (Steve Francis is pretty good defender and Eddie Griffin is all right).

Saw the clip and man you know you got your defender screwed when they're under the basket and all they can do is stay set and put their arms up. He gathered his feet and did a power jump off two feet for the slam. He looked like Jrich.</div>

i pointed my webcam to my tv and got these clips from my VHS.. it's highlights from one game (UCLA vs Washington), but emphasis on HIGHLIGHTS ... I mean Baron but on a hell of a show in that game.... I have more Davis clips on my tape (somewhere) but I gotta run now so I just recorded what i could find... let me know if u guys want more...

The file is kinda big cuz I don't know how to compress it, lol ..bout 28 MB for about 30 seconds worth of highlights

Note: On the second dunk, it was called an offensive foul....can u believe that?? lol

http://s11.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=36ED9XM...OB2EAU0BSRQN6EF

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