Baron Davis

Two-time NBA All-Star and 2004 All-NBA Third Team selection who led the Warriors to a historic upset over the Mavericks in 2007.

Baron Walter Louis Davis (born April 13, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television host and sports analyst. He was a two-time NBA All-Star, made the All-NBA Third Team in 2004, and twice led the NBA in steals. He was drafted with the third overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets. He also played in the NBA for the New Orleans Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks. Davis played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, earning All-American honors before turning professional after his sophomore year. He was a star high school player while at Crossroads School.

Quick Facts

Position: Point guard
Born: 13 April 1979
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school: Crossroads School (Santa Monica, California)
College: UCLA (1997–1999)
Draft round: 1
Drafted by: Charlotte Hornets

Lore & Background

Davis was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the South Central area. His grandmother and guardian, Lela Nicholson, was instrumental in pushing him to play basketball. With her encouragement, he eventually enrolled at Crossroads School, a private school in Santa Monica. As a senior at Crossroads, Davis led his team to the championship of The Beach Ball Classic tournament over Simon Gratz High School, earning MVP honors.

That year, Davis was also named Gatorade National Player of the Year and a Parade All-American. He was also selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game in Colorado Springs in 1997. After a highly contested recruiting battle, Davis selected UCLA. In 1998, Davis was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and made the third-team All-American his sophomore year in 1999.

In Davis's two years at UCLA, he averaged 13.6 points and 5.1 assists. While coming down from a dunk during an NCAA Tournament game his freshman year, he injured his knee and tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). He made a full recovery the next season and declared for the 1999 NBA draft after his sophomore campaign.

Reader's Guide

Davis was the third pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets. In his NBA debut, a 100–86 win over the Orlando Magic, Davis scored nine points, and added five rebounds, two assists and two steals. In Davis's first year, he backed up Eddie Jones and David Wesley, as the Hornets lost in the first round of the playoffs to the 76ers in four games. The following year, he started all 82 games for the Hornets.

Davis lead the Hornets back into the playoffs, and swept the Miami Heat before being defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the second round. Davis is credited with making the longest shot in NBA history at the Bradley Center on February 17, 2001, when he made an 89 ft shot with 0.7 seconds remaining in the third quarter against the Bucks. During All-Star weekend, he also participated in the Slam Dunk Contest and the Rising Stars Challenge.

The next season, Davis again started all 82 games while averaging 18 points and 8.5 assists per game. He was also selected as an injury replacement for Vince Carter in the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. The Hornets made the playoffs with Davis for the third time in as many years, but after defeating the Orlando Magic in the opening round, they were eliminated in the second round by the New Jersey Nets. In the summer of 2002, the Hornets relocated to New Orleans.

In the New Orleans Hornets' inaugural season, Davis suffered multiple injuries that limited him to just 50 games. He was still able to lead the Hornets back to the playoffs, but they would fall to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. The following season saw injuries limited Davis to 67 games. Despite this, he led the league in steals per game, was voted an All-Star for the second time, and earned an All-NBA third team selection.

Davis also won the Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend. The Hornets were ultimately ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat in seven games. On February 24, 2005, Davis was traded from the Hornets to the Golden State Warriors for Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis. After two seasons under coach Mike Montgomery, the Warriors hired Don Nelson for the 2006–07 season. Davis led the league in steals per game and the Warriors to their first playoff appearance since 1994.