Baron Davis Looks Back at NBA Draft Experience, Gives Advice to Rookie Players (Exclusive)

Baron Davis was part of a 1999 NBA Draft class that featured nine future NBA All-Stars. Selected by the Charlotte Hornets at No. 3 overall, Davis was one of the All-Star players who also led the NBA in steals in 2004 and 2007. The 2022 NBA Draft took place last week, and when Davis exclusively spoke to PopCulture.com, he took a look back at his own draft experience. 

“All I can remember is, I didn’t sleep for like two days,” Davis exclusively told PopCulture before this year’s draft. “I had about 50 people at the draft. I had about 15 people in a small hotel room. And all we did was play dominoes. We did interviews got to hang out with all the draftees. I mean, it was an incredible experience because one, you are getting drafted with dudes you grew up with. Guys you played AAU ball guys, you play college ball with, or against. And so it’s like a moment where you get to share, right. With so many different people. I remember, Ron Artest, Rip Hamilton, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Andre Miller, Steve Francis, all those guys it felt like we got drafted together. And so I think, with this draft coming up, it’s really one, an opportunity to reminisce. Two, it has a reunion feel to it.”

Davis was one of three players selected in the top 10 of the NBA Draft to make the All-Star team All-NBA team. The other two are Elton Brand (No. 1 overall) and Shawn Marion (No. 9). When Davis was drafted, he knew that he had a lot of work to do to establish himself in the league. 

“In real-time, we’re seeing these young boys come to men- become men, and then become professionals,” Davis said. “And realizing your dream. And so, the draft is really about realizing a dream, right. And when they say you get to the top of the mountain, you realize there are more mountains to climb. That’s exactly what it is. When you get drafted, you put that hat on. It’s like you got a sigh of relief. And then as you walk off the stage, you’re like, okay, I’m in the league now I got to get busy.”

Now that a new class is entering the NBA, Davis has some advice for them. “The best advice I would say is really just stay grounded, work on your craft, perfect your craft, stay in the gym,” he said. “It costs nothing to play basketball. It’s probably the cheapest thing you can do if you work on your game. And then I would say on the other side of things, just make sure you focus on, building out a hobby and building out a craft, right. And occupying your time by learning, occupying your time by being mentored. And then that’ll ultimately help your game. So the more structure you have around you, the better.”