H.O.F. Watch - Baron Davis
Photo. Gary LandEvery day we’re taking one active NBA star with at least arguable Hall of Fame credentials and breaking down his chances of getting into the Springfield, Mass., hoops mecca. We’re looking at not just past accomplishments, but also how a player’s career realistically projects for the future. For a full explanation of the process, click here. Today’s candidate: Baron Davis.
BARON DAVIS (9th year, Warriors/Hornets)
16.5 pts, 7.2 asts, 4.0 rebs, 1.9 stls per game
Why: Talent-wise, Baron is one of the best point guards of his era, who has played at an MVP-type level at times throughout his career. He’s led the League in steals twice, finished in the Top 5 in assists four times and made two All-Star Games. Pre-NBA, Baron was the national Player of the Year in ‘97 at Crossroad H.S. in California. His performance in the ‘07 playoffs against Dallas will go down as one of the most memorable of this era. He showed he could carry a team in the postseason, and at 28 years, still got some years left to do it again.
Why not: Injuries. For the last half of his career, Baron’s track record has been spotty. While he didn’t miss a single game in the first four years of his career, in the last four, Baron has missed 98 of a possible 328 games, never playing in more than 67 games in a season. He’s been able to get to the playoffs regularly, but only twice has he gone beyond the first round.
Our call: OUT
The H.O.F. Watch archive
11/16 - Shaquille O’Neal
11/15 - Steve Francis
11/14 - Ben Wallace
11/13 - Sam Cassell
11/12 - LeBron James
11/9 - Tim Duncan
11/8 - Steve Nash
11/7 - Yao Ming
11/6 - Gilbert Arenas
11/5 - Robert Horry
11/2 - Kobe Bryant
11/1 - Grant Hill
10/31 - Dirk Nowitzki
10/30 - Tony Parker
10/29 - Elton Brand
10/26 - Carmelo Anthony
10/25 - Vince Carter
10/24 - Penny Hardaway
10/23 - Alonzo Mourning
10/22 - Allen Iverson
10/19 - Dwyane Wade
10/18 - Chauncey Billups
10/17 - Stephon Marbury
10/16 - Jason Kidd
10/15 - Shawn Marion
10/12 - Ray Allen
10/11 - Chris Bosh
10/10 - Chris Webber
10/9 - Paul Pierce
10/5 - Jermaine O’Neal
10/4 - Gary Payton
10/3 - Tracy McGrady
November 19th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
smity says:
Im in agreement, though, like steve francis, was and is one of my favorites to watch. still one of the best points in the league…
November 19th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Myrie in NY says:
At this point..OUT. But he has sufficient time to change that. Dude, please….just stay healthy and play 75 games or so homey.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Myrie in NY says:
side note–
biggups to the draft class of 1999. One of the most underrated classes of all time. No franchise players, but one of the better draft classes I used to tell people.
Elton Brand, Steve Francis, Lamar Odom, Baron Davis, Andre Miller, Rip Hamilton, Shawn Marion, Ron Artest, Jason Terry, Emmanuel Ginobli, Corey Maggette, James Posey, Andrei Kirilenko…..to name a few.
Good enough that Dime has already put a few on their HOF watch post.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
fiyaman says:
im a little biased when it comes to b-diddy.. so I hope he’s IN..
un-biased opinion.. OUT.. simply because he has dominated consistently at his position.
I still think he could take out ANY PG in the L when healthy..
November 19th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
smity says:
ridiculous talent there…Maggette has to be the most unheralded player from that list but in the same token he hasnt done THAT much to stand out…
November 19th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
smity says:
you’re right fiyaman, when healthy he’s a fool out there…
November 19th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
JA says:
41.1%, 32.3%, and 68.2% … Baron’s career FG, FT, and 3PT shooting %’s. Has anyone with such bad shooting %’s every made the HOF? I’m honestly curious. Baron just strikes me as lazy. He seems to have all the talent in the world, but he doesn’t seem to care about the game.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Gregg says:
BOOOOOOOOOOM Dizzle aka The Bodyguard aka B-Diddy aka Baron “I can’t believe they traded me for Dale Davis” Davis. I like him as a player- even with his chinchilla beard. You have to YouTube the guy when he was back on the Charlotte Hornets sporting the headband with Wesley, Magloire, Campbell, Mashburn, and don’t forget the forgettable Eddie Robinson (who thought he was a max player and where is he now?). He played great playoff battles in the beginning of his career especially against the Heat. He was a beast back then; still is now but can’t guarantee 70 games from him with back issues. He’s definitely solid running a up tempo team and he kills on iso’s at the top of the key.
He, Andre Miller (12+ assists in Cleveland), and Stevie Franchise (20,5,5 in Houston, Co-ROY) were supposed to be the future of NBA point guards (and I hope that Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and even Raymond Felton will exceed those expectations).
As much as I like him as a player, he’s out. I hope one day he does get to challenge for a championship.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Gregg says:
On a side note: You need to change the picture of him dunking over Kirilenko during last seasons playoffs. That was straight ridirkulous. I don’t think Stevie Franchise has the hops for to do that now.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
fiyaman says:
hey hey watch ur mouth JA..
November 19th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Myrie in NY says:
When was Baron Davis traded for Dale Davis?
November 19th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
doc says:
B-Diddy is nice as hell but right now injuries keep him out. If he stays in shape all year it will make him healthier. I went to his camp out LA one summer and he was fat as shit.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Dave says:
100% agreed with the OUT call.
Ridiculous talent, as everyone else has posted, but hasn’t been consistent enough to rate a spot in the Hall. A few more playoff performances like last year would help, but I’m not sure he can stay healthy enough to do that.
November 19th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Gregg says:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1998925
Baron Davis for Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis
November 19th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
2 Easy says:
Ah my man Baron Davis. Little known fact, on the streets hes known as 2 Easy which is such a ridiculous nickname I had to take it and make it mine. Dude has left us with more than enough memorable moments in his career unfortunately he’s not in. I would say that he has far more of a chance than Steve Francis does with his 3-4 minutes of burn per lmao. Franchise got benched on wat used to be his franchise the irony there is so tasty it has to be fattening. Back to the point, 2 Easy is ridiculous and (when healthy) will destroy any and all PGs in the league. Unfortunately hes not healthy enough, hopefully 1 day he can make it but realistically hes OUT
November 19th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Russ says:
Like many others, I gotta lotta love for B-Dizzle….but the injuries!
Most of the time he’s only playing 2/3’s of the season!
And while he has had some rediculous performances or strings of performances…he’s just not hat consistent. The stats someone showed above illustrate this somewhat. Pretty low shooting percentages for a guard. Just too streaky.
BUT, as someone else also mentioned…he’s still fairly young and has time to change things.
November 19th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Gee says:
I always thought dude could stand to drop a few pounds. Anyway I have to compare him to A.I. in my own mind and while B.D. is remarkable to say the least. Things haven’t worked his way towards a title or the H.O.F. right now.
November 19th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Myrie in NY says:
Gregg–
Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder!
November 19th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
djKianoosh says:
there was an old saying that the great ones don’t miss time due to injury, or something like that.. wonderful player for sure, but he’ll be OUT cause of missed time.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
sam says:
do earl boykins next! why hasn’t he been signed somewhere yt?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Ian says:
whos baron davis?
November 19th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
dre in o town says:
Too many injuries …
November 19th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Alex says:
Earl Man-Kins is waiting for Boston but they got E-House. Phoenix would be good to spell Nash. Hell why not Denver again?
November 19th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Alex "Robocop" Murphy says:
Dikembe Mutumbo
Pau Gasol
Garnett
Andre Miller?
Camby?
November 19th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
K-Dizzle says:
This one hurts cuz B Diddy has all-world talent and a huge heart, but his teams and numbers might keep him out. One of those points whose teams are always better with him. He always looks like he takes losing like you takin food right outta his kid’s mouth. I look at him the same way as Sam Cassell in that when healthy, NOBODY in the L can touch em. Baron’s raw power tho. That coast to coast job on Garnett back a few years still got KG’s head ringin. Injuries may have taken some time, but BD is only 28 and just entering his prime. I just hope dude stays healthy and does some playoff damage before he’s done. May not make it to the hall, but is already in the “Streets know who’s sick” Hall of Fame with AI and Rasheed. Deron and CP3 are comin up, but Diddy still the boss
November 19th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
nick says:
baron is plain sick. no pg in the league can guard him. if u put him back in the east he has a very good shot at going deep in the playoffs. my call out for now, but hopefully he will change that in the next few yrs.
November 20th, 2007 at 6:15 am
David says:
B Diddy is tryin hard, but the Warriors aren’t a good team…
http://www.squidoo.com/BaronDavis
November 20th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Amar says:
man, that dunk was crazy. the celebration after the dunk should have been a technical. (but whatever, dude didn’t even get suspended for 1 game after his thugg hit on derek fisher, but kobe gets suspended for his shooting form) he’s such a great player, didn’t you know that his dunk on youtube has been seem more times than there are people who live in monaco??? I thought highlights = HOF? (sarcasm)
dude has no chance, unless the dubs start winning more than 5 playoff games a season for the next few.
November 20th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Amar says:
for the record though, he doesn’t get enough props for what he has made out of himself. his pre-NBA life during key developmental stages was a lot worse than some of the guys in the L right now. and he gets major, super duper props from me for how he turned out.
November 20th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Sacto J says:
A b-ball legend, but street cred doesn’t get you in the hall. The dizzle has shown he’s a great point guard, but for him to be HOF material, I don’t think he quite measures up, and on this one, I’m damned if I know why.
Maybe it’s the injuries, the teams he’s been on, maybe it’s too early in the career, but I’m going with the out vote……
November 22nd, 2007 at 4:50 am
Big10 says:
To Sacto J — I think one big problem with everybody’s mental perception of Baron (besides the injuries) is that when he has a bad game he looks REALLY bad. Guys like D-Wade or Kobe can have bad shooting nights where everything rims out, but their form still looks clean and they also try hard from the defensive end. Even Jordan, Bird, Magic, Dr. J., etc., had games where they off, but you still knew that you were watching a special player. However, with Baron, his game is kind of ragged anyway, so when he’s off, he looks like some scrub from the YMCA just jacking crap up in the sky and then committing silly fouls. It’s just awful. In other words, a 6-for-20 game from Baron looks a lot uglier than a 6-for-20 game from Kobe. When Baron is on, though, then he’s one of my favorite players to watch because his energy is so great.
Unfortunately, BD is probably OUT of the Hall.
November 27th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Sacto J says:
Big 10 - you’re on point. That’s exactly what it is. He’s in the right place then, with Mullin; the ugliest, deadliest fast break in the ’90s. But then, isn’t Mullin in the Hall?