Shaq confirms what we all know: Big Baby is a selfish player

[Datruth345]

an excerpt from his upcoming book, for those that missed it

“Big Baby” Davis kept looking me off and taking it himself. Doc is shouting at him to go inside, but he won’t. So Doc calls timeout and draws up a play for me. I go out there, and I back Andrew Bynum way under the rim. I’m loose, I’m ready. I’ve got Bynum under the basket and again, Baby won’t give me the ball. So I go up to him and say, “If you ever miss me again I’m going to punch you in the face.” I was hot.

Two nights later we’re playing in Sacramento and here we go again. I take three shots the entire game and again I’ve got my man isolated underneath the basket, and Baby ignores me and takes a jump shot. So the next time we’re in the huddle I let Baby have it.

I tell him, “Pass the [expletive] ball inside.” He comes back at me a little bit and now I’m really heated. All hell is breaking loose. We’re going back and forth. Doc is standing there and he’s not saying a word. The message is pretty clear: Work this out yourselves. I tell Baby, “You’re a selfish player. Everyone on this team knows it.” Hey, all the fans knew it. He takes shots when he shouldn’t.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... s_som.html

[Joselo16]

No, not Fat Mamba?! We have all known Davis to be a problem on this team, but for some reason has managed to stay (some offensive talent). I even believe when there was that rift between the young guys and the vets, that he could have been leading the other youngs on. I do really hope he won't be on the team when the league resumes. Also what does it say when a player refuses to run the play you have designed multiple times and you still keep playing him instead of benching his fat ass (Doc)???

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

No, not Fat Mamba?! We have all known Davis to be a problem on this team, but for some reason has managed to stay (some offensive talent). I even believe when there was that rift between the young guys and the vets, that he could have been leading the other youngs on. I do really hope he won't be on the team when the league resumes. Also what does it say when a player refuses to run the play you have designed multiple times and you still keep playing him instead of benching his fat ass (Doc)???

Who else was Doc going to play though? Playing KG 48 minutes a night would not have been good. I agree though - I don't want him back on this team, unless we get him cheap.

[humblebum]

I have been a Davis fan since he entered the league, but I think it has come to the point where it'd be addition by subtraction in letting him walk. There are young, hungry role playing PF's out there that Ainge can find for the minimum. Even an old vet like Kurt Thomas would represent a nominal upgrade over Davis when you factor in "intangibles" and locker room presence.

Also, thinking of this makes me have even higher hopes for Jeff Green's future in Boston (if Davis leaves). We all knew he had a pretty steep learning curve/big transition coming from the freewheeling OKC system (on both ends) to the structured system that Doc employs. But add in the fact that Davis was getting the majority of touches, and failing to convert, he effectively "iced" Green out of the offense, likely due to wanting to "earn All Star money" in his next contract.

Hopefully Davis is removed and we see some Jujuan Johnson and another couple solid vets, whenever the season happens.

[Hemingway]

But who else is taking shots on the second unit? Baby has flaws, but he does really go for it. That is a characteristic of winners, and sadly not one shared buy a lot of our guys. If he stays or goes will depend on the price tag. If no one wants him we might end up getting anther year or 2 on the cheap. If we lose him, i won;t miss him that much.

[King Of The 4th]

Not to defend Glen Davis, but I think RedsArmy did a good job in debunking some of the things Shaq claimed he did. That's not to say that Glen Davis isn't a selfish player but I don't think he was maliciously taking possessions away from Shaq like he said.

[KGboss]

We all saw him acting this way during the season, so I hope nobody brushes this off and say these things aren't true. The guy was a complete black hole all season, and I really hope he isn't on this team anymore whenever the NBA starts up again.

[King Of The 4th]

We all saw him acting this way during the season, so I hope nobody brushes this off and say these things aren't true. The guy was a complete black hole all season, and I really hope he isn't on this team anymore whenever the NBA starts up again.

Believe me, I'm not saying that he isn't a selfish player. Frankly, if Danny Ainge resigns him, I'd think that was a far worse move than the Kendrick Perkins trade.

Just saying that according to the evidence in that link, the play Shaq is talking about didn't really go the way he claims it did. Doesn't mean that Big Baby isn't selfish, just means that some of Shaq's claims in his new book should be taken with a grain of salt.

[smith2373]

Didn't Carl Landry express interest in playing here?

Anyway, I always thought with the drafting of JJJ that it was the end of Baby and the Celtics.

[Hemingway]

does shaq have nice things to say about any former teammates?

[irie]

Wouldn't mind replacing him, but let's not be irrational and assume it's an automatic addition by subtraction... A quick look at free agents.. I'd be happy with any one of Kenyon Martin, Carl Landry, or Reggie Evans. Otherwise there's not much I would rather see than Davis. He has his faults, and they have probably cost the Celtics games. But he's still more talented than 90% of the available PFs.

[TheOGJabroni]

"If you ever miss me again I'm going to punch you in the face!"

But really, Baby hurt this team a lot. It's about time he sees his way out of Boston.

[Dave_From_NB]

I take anything Shaq says with a grain of salt. However one thing I do know, is I never want to see Davis back in a Celtics uniform. I just cringed every time he was on the court, I just found him unwatchable.

[WhateverBro]

Well, I agree with everyone else here... Big Baby needs to go. He was terrible all last year and the selfishness he displayed in some games was sickening. I'm tired of seeing him attempting mid-range shots that he has no business taking and about the only thing he does good defenisvely is taking charges. And that's not even close to enough to make up for his lack of rebounding.

[EJay33]

Davis has proven time and again that he doesn't have what it takes to be a Celtic. Get rid of him, the sooner the better.

[Taget]

Before we make too much out of what Shaq says.. Shaq has tendency to throw his teammates under the bus anytime he moves on from a team. Especially if it can be done in a way that makes him look like the good guy and mask his own faults.

[KGboss]

Before we make too much out of what Shaq says.. Shaq has tendency to throw his teammates under the bus anytime he moves on from a team. Especially if it can be done in a way that makes him look like the good guy and mask his own faults.

Except we all saw Davis acting this way during the games. Whether their actual conversations are true that is probably embellished, but he was a serious black hole all year.

[quinielabox]

We drafted Ja Juan Johnson to replace Baby, Right?

[nizstruck]

I do think big baby settled for too many jumpers last season, and it's ok when they fall but when he started missing he kept on jacking them up, brick after brick. that is hurting your team right there. So i think shaq's got a point here. although it's not really high class of him to throw dirt on former teammates, but I guess that's what's going to make his book sell even more, stuff like that.

[irie]

We drafted Ja Juan Johnson to replace Baby, Right?

I'd be surprised if he even gets an opportunity. Doc seems like he'd rather play the guys he already knows big minutes rather than give any new / young players court time.