<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Warriors' Davis to stop caring, let someone else lead OAKLAND, Calif. -- Baron Davis has good news for the Golden State Warriors' long-suffering fans: Their star guard will try not to care so much this season, and he isn't really interested in being a team leader. Yes, Davis insists this is all good news for the Warriors, who opened their first training camp of coach Don Nelson's second stint with the club Monday. Davis got his new outlook on life and basketball during a summer conversation with Shaquille O'Neal, who gave some interesting advice to the frustrated scorer over lunch in Los Angeles. "He told me that I'll become a great player once I stop caring so much," Davis said. "You know, stop forcing myself: 'You've got to do this. You've got to work out.' If I just love what I do, then everything else will take its course. ... Every time I'm on the floor, I'm enjoying my time. Being injured, it can be taken away. I respect that. I appreciate that." Golden State's only former All-Star is fit, rested and ready after losing 15 pounds since last season. He played just 54 games before missing most of the second half of the Warriors' 12th straight losing campaign with a sprained ankle. And Davis seems ready to redefine his career, which mostly has been about big point totals for mediocre teams so far. He is thrilled to be a main scorer in Nelson's up-tempo offense, and believes Golden State has the talent to make the playoffs with a new system and a new direction. "[Shaq] told me that I'll become a great player once I stop caring so much. You know, stop forcing myself: 'You've got to do this. You've got to work out.' If I just love what I do, then everything else will take its course. ... Every time I'm on the floor, I'm enjoying my time." -- Baron Davis But don't label Davis as Golden State's leader -- a role he sought last season while struggling to understand his role in former coach Mike Montgomery's on-court plans. With his new attitude, he doesn't think the Warriors will improve until he takes care of himself. "I don't care whose team it is," he said. "That's just not where I'm at with it any more. Whoever steps up and becomes the leader on this team, that's what it is. I think we're all leaders in different facets of the game. I don't care. It's not my team. It's Coach Nelson's team, and I'm here to play." He's eager to erase memories of last season, which he called "the most frustrating of my career, besides my rookie year." </div> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2611043
Hmm... will Baron wind up in the same boat as Francis and Marbury right now... Guys who are probably more fit for rucker park type play than actually running a team and leading it for the coach.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">Hmm... will Baron wind up in the same boat as Francis and Marbury right now... Guys who are probably more fit for rucker park type play than actually running a team and leading it for the coach.</div> I think the writer is reaching with this piece. From the tone of the interview, it sounds like Baron is ready to be a team player and is already sold on Nelson taking over this team. Hopefully Baron can stay healthy for at least 75 games this year.
It would be very interesting to see how Davis and Nelson mix. In one hand, Nelson should be the coach who can really utilize Davis. And, unlike any of his previous coaches, Nelson brings instant credibility with years of experience. In other hand, Nelson will demand a lot of things from Davis, and Davis are not used to listen and follow other people. Hopefully, Davis understands that this is basically the last chance to really solidify his position in NBA, because if he blows up this chance, he will most likely be remembered as a talented headcase type of player...
