Former two-time All-Star point guard Baron Davis believes that his college recruitment led to former Duke and Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski to leave him off the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team. In fact, Davis went so far as to call Coach K a "hater."
"I always felt like Coach K...would hate on me," Davis said on The Draymond Green Show this week. "And I was right about that."
Green, curious, asked why Davis thought that, and his answer did not disappoint.
"During the Olympic tryouts, I was coming off of 23 [points], eight [assists] and didn't get a tryout. Bro, I can't get a tryout? Like? Name 30 people better than me, OK? Name 12. Name four guards better than me. But Coach K a hater. I ain't trippin'."
Green continued prodding, asking if Davis thought it was because he chose UCLA over Duke in his college recruitment.
"Absolutely. He wrote about it in his book. Every motherf----- that was in front of me or that got invited [to the tryout] was sorry. Guards, you ask me, they was sorry. Luke Ridnour got invited. He weak as f---. You know, this is my hurt talking. I respect his game, I think Luke Ridnour is a good player, but like you know, we talkin' as hoopers. It's like, are you f------ kidding me? This is ill homie."
"I was coming off of 23 and 8... I can't get a tryout?"
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) July 11, 2024
—@BaronDavis tells @Money23Green how he knew Coach K was a hater pic.twitter.com/ckLLhQ2F9y
A few things here to clear the air.
First off, Davis is referring to the 2008 "Redeem Team" which was Coach K's first time coaching USA Basketball. That team won gold, and the guards that made the roster included Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul.
In the 2007-08 season before the Olympics, Williams averaged 21.8 points and 7.6 assists, which is certainly good enough to get a tryout. But his 23-point, eight-assist season that he's referring to came ahead of the 2004 Olympics, which was coached by Hall of Famer Larry Brown.
Davis got his wires crossed a little bit, but despite having an outstanding career, it's hard to make too much of a gripe with who was selected over him in the backcourt in 2008.
It's clear it remains a sore spot for Davis, though, so don't expect a mending of the fences with Coach K anytime soon.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Baron Davis Calls Coach K a 'Hater' for Leaving Him Off 2008 Olympic Team.
