Baron Davis is the only NBA player to ever wear jersey No. 85. What made him do it?
Sure, some sports are back. But "sports" as we know them are largely still on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. Today is Day 85 without sports 🏀.
Remember 2011? No? We don't really either, to be honest. It was a super long time ago when sports were still being played with regularity. Crazy, right?
Anyway, it was also the year that saw Baron Davis get traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers; then he did something no other NBA player has done before or since.
He chose jersey No. 85. And since it's Day 85 (ugh) without sports, why not look into why?
After the Cavs selected Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick in 2011 (a pick they got in the previous Davis trade), Cleveland didn't need a point guard, so Davis jumped ship to the Knicks and wore 85 again.
So, why 85? Tribute to Ochocinco? Big fan of Antonio Gates?
Nope. He wanted to honor his grandparents, who helped raise him on 85th Street in Los Angeles.
"That's where I had my first basketball court and was introduced to the game," Davis said when he was dealt to the Cavs. "I have to get back to my roots, get back to dribbling – even if I have to dribble in the snow. I want to just enjoy the game, the love of the game, and really enjoy this opportunity of being the best basketball player I can be."
Sports video of the day
Going to level with you folks, the above 200 words were just an excuse to post this video of Davis destroying Andrei Kirilenko.
What we're reading
- DREW BREES: His comments have not gone over particularly well. Nancy Armour calls him willfully ignorant and there are questions about his comments hurting the team. Fellow athletes, including Saints teammate Malcolm Jenkins and QB rival Aaron Rodgers, have also joined the chorus.
- DAK PRESCOTT: Cowboys QB donating $1 million to aid police training.
- NBA BACK?: Maybe!
- BUBBA WALLACE: NASCAR driver shares painful, childhood story about police shooting his cousin.
- JOHNNY MAJORS: The legendary college football coach died Wednesday at the age of 85.
Sports on TV
NFL (classic): It's Super Bowl Week in America on NBC Sports Network, with each day dedicated to unforgettable moments and incredible performances on a particular Super Bowl Sunday. On Thursday: Broncos vs. Packers from 1998.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET.
MLB (classic): MLB Network has a couple of slugfest classics from World Series' past. First, at noon ET, is Game 1 of the 1998 World Series between the Yankees and Padres. Then, Game 1 of the 2004 Fall Classic between the Cardinals and Red Sox.
NBA (classic): Tons of NBA Finals action on NBA Network. Rockets-Magic. Spurs-Heat. Jazz-Bulls.
