Is Baron Davis a Superstar?
There are only a handful of guys in the League today who are known almost universally by their nicknames: the Diesel, Mamba, the Answer, the Truth, and Boom Dizzle. Even though Baron Davis doesn’t boast the hardware (MVP’s and rings) that these guys have on display in their homes, Davis is one of the most recognizable stars in the game today.
His beard became an iconic symbol of the Bay Area – there’s even a Warriors blog called Fear the Beard (fearthebeard.org). The question is whether his celebrity is enough to push him over the edge into NBA superstardom. Neither Joe Johnson nor Chris Bosh had a majority of votes on either side – what’s the vote on Boom?
He’s hovered right around 20-and-8 for the last five years, and sent the League into a frenzy when the lovable Warriors trounced the top-seeded Mavs in that memorable first-round battle. Though we haven’t seen Baron crown anyone as badly since he spiked Andrei Kirilenko in the second round of those ’07 playoffs, he still plays with the flash that made him a fan favorite. Since joining the Clippers, we’ve seen Baron feed Al Thornton on the break with the same behind-the-head no-look dish a couple of times.
Even if the Warriors didn’t want to extend him into his early thirties, he’s still making the plays that he’s made since being at UCLA. However, is Baron’s star automatically demoted because his team wouldn’t pay top dollar to retain him?
Is Baron Davis a superstar?
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November 11th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
that's whats up says:
well, he is PAID like a superstar…
November 11th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
vinny says:
NO- being recognizable and flashly doesnt make you a superstar. plus he gets hurt to much!!
November 11th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Eduardo says:
He has all the makings of a superstar but he has to deliver it…
He needs to add a little bit of purpose to his game, or he’ll spend the rest of his career showing up on top ten shits but not really boasting the hardware…I’d rather say that BD might be a superstar..
November 11th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
ak14 says:
No. I love BD but he isn’t on that level. He would not be able to carry a team to a championship-contention level without at least another legit all-star beside him. Both CB4 and JJ are better than BD right now, so if they aren’t superstars then Boom isn’t even close.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Big T says:
BD is a star, but superstar? No. I’ve always loved his game though… his cross-over straight kills people. I think he’s been over-shadowed by the other guards in the west, so he doesn’t get a lot of props.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
BrickLayer says:
Baron is a SUPERSTAR, come on people, he might not have the hardware, and might not ever get any being on the clippers. But he is a show stopper, he is one of the top 5 players to watch in the L. Clippers games actually excite me now cause you get to see Baron.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Diego says:
Hell, no. He did his 1-man Teen Wolf (credit to jerk Bill Simmons on that one) immitation–barreling towards the hole for the most part with no intent of passing–for years in Charlotte; then pulled a Vince Carter in New Orleans; and then resurrected his career in Golden State.
I don’t know why everyone is again riding Baron’s nuts after one solid (CONTRACT) year again in Golden State. Yes he has/had a Papa Smurf beard, yes he makes some incredible plays, but no, he is not a superstar. I would not rank him up with Bosh of JJ today. (And I love JJ, but I probably have to take Bosh ahead of him.)
November 11th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
webbie352 says:
one of my fav. players but no he isnt a superstar.
HE SHOULD BE ONE THOUGH
he can hang with them all though.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
F.L.A.S.H. says:
when ur in the trainer’s office half the season it dosen’t help….pretty sure golden state’s run in 07 was some of the most magical moments of basketball I’ve ever seen thanks in no small part to BD, but a dozen games don’t make superstars.
As much as I HATE quoting shaq quoting aristotle:”excellence is not a singular act, but a habit” , BD sure has an “excellent” habit of being injured
November 11th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
Actually if you go back and look at the games they lost and won, the games GSW won S Jack killed it. I remember reading a SLAM article talking about how S Jack was more important to GSW than B-Diddy. So if S-Jack isn’t a superstar then how can Baron be?
November 11th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
ed says:
he would have been if he just could have backed away from the buffet table.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
P_Dizzle says:
Nope!
He fits the bill for everything off the court but not on the court and that is the big key. He’s injury prone and THINKS he is a superstar but is far from it. He has a superstar swagger but that don’t mean sh**. Bosh is closer than Davis is.
Of the 3 that Dime has done, none are a superstar but Bosh is the closest.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
P_Dizzle says:
Amen to post #9. That Shaq quote is spot-on.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
control says:
Haterade
SJack isn’t a superstar because he sucks. Kid ain’t even a star. BD is at least a star, but the guy has been too injured to say he’s a superstar. Guy has logged more hours with the trainer than Grant Hill.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Ian says:
i voted no on jj and bosh
so this one is a def HELL NO
control
sjack doesnt suck hes a real good player id even say boderline allstar
November 11th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
control says:
Ian
SJack would be an Allstar for the East…because he can keep the other team in any game. I’ve explained several times on this site why that idiot isn’t a star…essentially it’s because he hurts his team as much as he helps it. Anyone can sJACK shots all day, he doesn’t really have any skills or talents that you can’t find in any YMCA.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Celts Fan says:
He’s a superstar WHEN he’s healthy, and he’s not healthy nearly enough. Has the ability, but I’d say no just cuz he doesn’t do it enough (due to injuries.) If I’m wrong, and in a non-contract year he plays 70+, my vote is yes, but unless he’s trying to get broken off, he just can’t stay healthy for a full year (wish and hope I’m wrong, we’ll see.) My vote is yes, but he needs to say healthy…
November 11th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I’m going to say that Baron is a superstar only because I consider Kobe, Lebron, KG, Dwayne, Shaq, and AI Megastars. Megastars are players who are franchise players but also have major commercial appeal. These players are recognized by the fan who only occasionally watches NBA. Not the lunatics like us who check the Dime website every 10 minutes throughout the day.
Logic: if Danny Granger is considered a star then you can’t possibly put Baron in the same category. It’s safe to say Baron has surpassed being just a star.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
blah says:
@14 NO ONE has logged more trainer minutes than Grant Hill. Hill’s trainer stayed in grant’s guest house in orlando. The butler knew his favorite meals and everything.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
blah says:
@18
i was using your megastar definition as my superstar definition. but your reasoning is solid. SO baron is a superstar, but megastar he ain’t. That danny granger statement puts it all in perspective.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Ian says:
control
nah i think hes good
but u have to keep him in check like when he was with the spurs
spliff
no man baron is not above granger they must be in the same cat
hell i rather have granger than a pg like davis or arenas
i remember an article i read once about how overrated davis is an the best line in it was “davis is like someone shrunk antoine walker and gave him a team to run”
November 11th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
rootsradical says:
who really cares if someone is a superstar or not? bosh? sure, he’s not. baron davis? nope. but these guys can both shit on your favourite squad on any given night. they’re good players that can play at a high level and compete against the “true superstars” of the league without backing down. is there anything wrong with just being a good player. i don’t think so.
but keep writing pointless, dragged out posts Dime. i’ll just keep reading Smack and reminisce to the days where you couldn’t leave comments and you guys were on point all the time.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
rootsradical says:
i thought Baron was going to win MVP that one year he had with the Hornets a while ago. the first half of his season was amazing but i think he got hurt and kind of lost the plot a little bit as far as MVP running goes.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Ian says:
blah spliff
instead of using names for the groups lets use numbers to put things in perspective
group 1
duncan lebron kobe
group 2
parker paul williams garnett nash wade
group 3
granger manu jj bosh
theres no way i can put davis in the second group which u guys name superstars
hell i wouldnt even put davis in group 3
byw those arent def lists just examples and just my opinion in case a fan of someone comes talking shit.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
vinny says:
@control– jackson can play-now he might let his emotions get the best of him sometimes but he can play- He played a big role for the spurs that 1 year he got a ring.
calling him an idiot and saying he sucks just seems like a personel issue!
November 11th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ post 18
great argument
Boom’s a superstar. Only superstar points in the league are CP and Nash, Parker and Calderon based on the number of jerseys I seen in France, Spain this summer. When heads talk superstars, they forget the world don’t revolve around the USA. I don’t think Manu’s a superstar, but dude is Jordan in Argentina…
November 11th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
parinaz suns says:
if you have to ask if someone is a superstar they probably are not…
November 11th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Ian says:
blah spliff
sorry i put granger in group 3 hes a grroup 4 player
i think
k dizzle
manu is jordan in latin america not just argentina
November 11th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Ian says:
post 27 true
November 11th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Ian says:
kdizzle
as far as pg superstars go
id say only nash and parker based on resume and worldwide recognition
November 11th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@ Parinaz suns
That says it all. Nuff said.
@Ian
Granger is good no doubt but he’s had one decent year and one good year. Boom’s been having good years for awhile now regardless of injuries. People know Baron. Nobody outside Indiana, Louisiana (Grangers home state) or New Mexico (Grangers college) would recognize Danny. That’s not superstar homie.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Ian says:
spliff i know hes no superstar but remember i rank him with baron cuz i dont think baron is a superstar
November 11th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@Ian
Using numbers/categories only makes sense for hurricanes.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@Ian
Then maybe categories does make sense because it’s the only way to have something inbetween star and superstar. I can get with that then because I think Baron is more than a star but maybe not quite superstar.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Ian says:
really less sense than everyone making up a name for a cat????
November 11th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Ian says:
well hehehe group 3 in my book is star in yours so we kinda agree on davis being a star but no superstar
November 11th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
D-NICE says:
If he hadn’t of been injured so much I don’t think we would be asking thise question. Easily he is one top 5 PGs in the league right now
November 11th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Ian says:
but remember every cat i posted is above allstar
November 11th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Eduardo says:
@27 That’s that. I rest my case!
November 11th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
jayslay says:
boom is a superstar when he’s healthy………problem is he never healthy….thats y he aint….but personaly i think he better than bosh not better than jj but i think jj is a superstar….are they kobe or bron or even paul no but i think they are both on the same level as amare deron williams
November 11th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
I gotta agree with post 27, but the funniest line
was post 21 “davis is like someone shrunk antoine walker and gave him a team to run”
November 11th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Ian says:
drink glad u liked it
i think i got that from the sports guy but not 100%sure
November 11th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
nick says:
he would be a superstar if was healthy. baron when healthy is a top 5pg.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
McGuffin says:
Baron’s one of those players that really make his team better when he’s playing. He gets his teammates involved and has a knack for making the big shots. He’s a superstar talent minus the drive to go out and win a chip. I don’t think his heart is into the game one hundred percent of the time. Man’s gotta keep his film career going, you know.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
doc says:
no
November 11th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
QuEsT??? says:
to the true hoop head, baron is a superstar but to the casual fan, not so much
November 11th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
jeremy says:
if baron is a superstar then hibachi is going to the HOF
November 11th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Peter Robert Casey says:
He’s a showman, but not a superstar. Superstars, at least in my opinion, bring home hardware. I follow this statement with the fact that I would still pay to see Baron Davis play. He’s a competitor and he knows how to put on a show.
November 11th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Big V says:
He’s an awesome talent, but he’s not quite a superstar. He gets hurt too much and his teams never go anywhere.
He’s on the cusp, but not quite there yet.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
CLUTCH says:
Don’t you have to win something or at least not be a cancer on every team your on to be considered a star
November 12th, 2008 at 12:04 am
johnsacrimoni says:
I think you got it backwards, Quest.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:54 am
dat dood says:
he’s a superstar because he is marketable. being a superstar is more than just skills. it is how you are off the court.
i would consider gilbert arenas a superstar and he hasn’t really played in like 2 years.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:38 am
ctkennedy says:
baron is superstar easily hornets were garbage until he got there and just got good again once they found his replacement (paul) and golden st. goin through it now on the court he can post up small forwards he will let his teammates go off get any shot he want he does shoot too many threes though he dunks on centers and can guard two guards so little sgs can play david wesley and monta ellis with two minutes left in the game he wants the ball
ps if u think mcgrady a superstar then baron have to be one cause in the playoffs he done pull off a couple of upsets the magic with mashburn hurt and dallas best record in the league
November 12th, 2008 at 8:25 am
MSkittle says:
Nah, too injury prone