Before Russell Westbrook and even Derrick Rose were terrorizing stanchions with explosive dunks, Baron Davis was shaking the rim on a nightly basis as one of the most underrated little-man athletes in NBA history.
B-Diddy may have been small in height, but at roughly 203 pounds, he had incredible strength that helped him bully his way to the basket, and once there, he wasn’t scared of any type of contact despite the giants who patrolled the paint.
Davis was also a wizard with the ball in his hands, duping defenders with mesmerizing handles who, despite his strength, also possessed the ability to change direction in an instant and leave defenders in the dust.
His leaping ability is something that just isn’t talked about enough. He routinely challenged some of the stingiest defenders, cocking the ball back and slamming it down on their heads. It didn’t matter who was in his way or whether it was off one foot or two, he still found a way to elevate above everyone else upon getting to the rim.
His relentless attacks on the basket didn’t do any good for his efficiency at just 39.8 percent as a member of the Hornets, but to box Davis in was to limit what made him so special in the first place. In order to see him at his best, coaches were forced to deal with the reckless play in order to get to the spectacular finishes at the basket.
Davis would average 20.2 points per game in New Orleans, putting together one heck of a mixtape while simultaneously paving the way for the newest generation of miniature leapers to create their own highlight reel of posters and soul-snatching jams.