Glen Davis: Most Cringe-Worthy On-Court Moments

Somewhere in the vast expanse between universal adoration and villainy exists a subset of NBA players whose likeability is subject to more conditional, regional standards. Screamers, scrappers, floppers, fighters, chest thumpers, spitters.…droolers—these eccentric local folk heroes are often lumped into the quintessential (if not a touch overused) category of “guys you love having on your team, but hate to play against”. While few players in NBA history have embodied that definition more than Glen “Big Baby” Davis, it seems his stake in the league may be on shaky ground for the immediate future.

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In recent days, reports have begun surfacing about Davis’ willingness to play overseas if he remains unable to land an NBA contract. Per Sportando.com:

"Glen Davis is open to playing overseas if he doesn’t sign a contract in the NBA, a source told Sportando.Big Baby is in talks to re-sign with the Clippers but if they won’t reach a deal, the center may join the Chinese League or one of the European top divisions.Davis has played 74 games with the Clippers this past season averaging 4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12 minutes of action."

Despite his pedestrian numbers, it would be surprising if we’ve truly seen the last of Davis in an NBA uniform. While the Clippers’ offseason additions of Josh Smith and Cole Aldrich make Big Baby’s presence on LA’s bench somewhat redundant, for him to disappear entirely from the auspices of the NBA at the tender age of 29 seems unlikely.

Though a history of attitude issues and a waning ability to leverage his prodigious girth into consistently productive minutes may eventually spell doom for his membership in the league, Davis is just two seasons removed from averaging 15.1 points and 7.2 rebounds, has a wealth of championship experience and possesses the ability to spark the occasional run by igniting home crowds with his energy and passion. There are even reports popping up in the last 24 hours that the Clippers would like to have Davis back if the price is right. Odds are, he’ll be back in the league with someone.

Having said that, in the unlikely event that we have indeed seen the last of Glen Davis, NBA player, it’s never too early to pay homage to some of his most iconic moments on the hardwood. These are not essential, classic NBA moments to be immortalized in archival footage and eloquently brought to life by some Howard Cosell-esque narrator. Rather, much of Big Baby’s “best of” mixtape is comprised of material that has long-since made its rounds on the Internet’s unintentional comedy circuit and would make anyone other than the most diehard Davis supporters squirm in their seats.

Without further ado, here are Glen “Big Baby” Davis’ top 4 most cringe-worthy moments of his NBA career:

#1. Davis celebrates game-winner vs. Orlando, pushes kid standing court side

The 2009 playoffs were a coming out party of sorts for Davis. The Celtics were attempting to defend their title without the services of Kevin Garnett due to his balky knee that would eventually require surgery, and Baby filled in admirably during that stretch. Then, in game 4, down one point with time running out, Big Baby ran a perfectly executed pick and pop with Paul Pierce that resulted in an open jumper that left his fingertips just as time expired.

However, the Magic weren’t the only ones on the wrong end of Davis’ series-tying shot. In his celebratory sprint up the far sideline, Davis seemingly shoves a young Magic fan out of his way as he beelines back to the Celtics’ bench to celebrate with his teammates.

To be fair, the 289 pound Davis eventually issued an apology at the behest of the 12 year-old boy’s father, and it’s fairly obvious he wasn’t trying to hurt the poor kid. Still, the sight of the rotund power forward being overcome by the euphoria of victory and tossing aside a small child makes for great YouTube fodder:

Or for the more cinematically inclined:

#2. Kevin Garnett makes Big Baby cry during a Celtics timeout

Just to be perfectly clear, I’m not aiming to make fun of Davis on this one–if Kevin Garnett so much as cast an angry scowl in my direction, I might get a little misty-eyed. Yet, even though Davis’ “Big Baby” nickname has nothing to do with a proclivity for crying, the optics on this one–coupled with his well-known moniker–pretty easily lend themselves to a healthy does of Internet snark:

#3.”Shrek and Donkey Do LA”

During a surprising 2010 playoff run to the NBA Finals, Davis and his bench squad sidekick Nate Robinson earned themselves a reputation for energetic, game-altering hustle plays…as well as perhaps the worst nicknames of all time. Even worse, in this clip of the two of them celebrating a back breaking basket against the Lakers in game 4 of the Finals, the camera catches Davis literally frothing at the mouth as a long, ropy gob of saliva escapes from his gaping mouth in between primal screams and celebratory expletives (0:11 mark):

#4. The loathsome lashing of the tongue

This last bit of nightmare fuel speaks for itself:

Did you miss that? Don’t worry, here it is again, in super slo-mo:

There are plenty of honorable mentions from Davis’ other stops in Orlando and Los Angeles that ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor, but with any luck, we haven’t seen the last of Big Baby on the NBA hardwood. Then again, even if Davis isn’t long for professional ball here in the States, with the global proliferation of gifs, vines and other short form media, his legend can continue to grow wherever he plays.

Sweet dreams.

Next: The NBA's 50 Greatest Players of All-Time

Glen Davis: Most Cringe-Worthy On-Court Moments

By Jameson Miller | Aug 6, 2015

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