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Bench Warmer
Glen "Big Baby" Davis has no regrets about choosing basketball over football. That's because he's achieved success and a championship with the Boston Celtics -- and also because he doesn't believe his days on the football field are over.
Davis, the Celtics' 6-foot-9, 290-pound forward, said he eventually wants to play in the NFL.
"I will try it," said Davis, who's on the injured list for six weeks with a broken right thumb sustained in a fight. "When I become an All-Star in the NBA, when I become a great player in the NBA, then I'll try football. One of my dreams has always been to play football."
Davis was a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, La., starring at defensive end, defensive tackle and tailback. But he chose to hang up his cleats and accept a basketball scholarship to LSU, where he became an All-American.
"I definitely could have made it to the NFL," Davis said.
He doesn't have a specific position in mind in the NFL.
"It don't matter," he said. "I just want to play."
Davis is now in his third season with the Celtics. He averaged just 7 points and 4 rebounds per game as a reserve last season, but while replacing Kevin Garnett as a starter in the playoffs, Davis pushed his averages to 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
In August, Davis signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Celtics. He doesn't foresee jumping to the NFL at the end of this contract because he doesn't think he'll reach his NBA goals by then.
"No, we've got too many other great players in front of me -- KG and Rasheed Wallace -- for that to happen," he said.
Davis found himself in hot water with the Celtics after breaking his thumb in an early-morning fight with a longtime friend just two days before the start of the regular season. He apologized to his teammates and was fined for the indiscretion, but was not suspended.
Davis, the Celtics' 6-foot-9, 290-pound forward, said he eventually wants to play in the NFL.
"I will try it," said Davis, who's on the injured list for six weeks with a broken right thumb sustained in a fight. "When I become an All-Star in the NBA, when I become a great player in the NBA, then I'll try football. One of my dreams has always been to play football."
Davis was a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, La., starring at defensive end, defensive tackle and tailback. But he chose to hang up his cleats and accept a basketball scholarship to LSU, where he became an All-American.
"I definitely could have made it to the NFL," Davis said.
He doesn't have a specific position in mind in the NFL.
"It don't matter," he said. "I just want to play."
Davis is now in his third season with the Celtics. He averaged just 7 points and 4 rebounds per game as a reserve last season, but while replacing Kevin Garnett as a starter in the playoffs, Davis pushed his averages to 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
In August, Davis signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Celtics. He doesn't foresee jumping to the NFL at the end of this contract because he doesn't think he'll reach his NBA goals by then.
"No, we've got too many other great players in front of me -- KG and Rasheed Wallace -- for that to happen," he said.
Davis found himself in hot water with the Celtics after breaking his thumb in an early-morning fight with a longtime friend just two days before the start of the regular season. He apologized to his teammates and was fined for the indiscretion, but was not suspended.
