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Former Bruin and current Hornet Baron Davis is in the middle of his best season in the NBA.

The six-inch-high No. 1 stitched on the back of his teal and gray uniform is probably the only thing about former Bruin point guard Baron Davis that isn’t understated.

That, and his statline for the year: 22.7 points, 7.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest, each career highs. Davis has single-handedly led the NBA’s Hornets in the box score, but also in commitment and guidance.

Davis, limited to only 50 games last year due to back injury, has taken to a strict training regimen that has allowed him to shoulder the team’s load and lift the spirits of Hornets fans, leading New Orleans to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

“(It’s) just hard work,” he said. “Just hard work, dedication. You know, showing up to the gym everyday, showing up to run and lift, not taking (any) days off.”

The opportunity for rest days has come few and far between for the point guard, playing a position that necessitates the speed and quickness Baron has been more than able to provide.

“Night in and night out, you’re playing against tough guards. There are no nights off in the NBA.”

This reality comes as no surprise to the Bruin alumnus, who rose to the top of the collegiate ranks during his two-year stint at UCLA from 1998 to 1999. Running up and down the floors of Pauley Pavilion molded Davis into the player familiar to national audiences today.

“It just gave me the opportunity to play on the highest platform in Los Angeles, in front of great competition, and being at a good school.”

The Los Angeles native grew up watching Darrick Martin, another former Bruin who made the jump to the NBA. He also credits his success to his meeting with legendary coach John Wooden, the symbol of UCLA basketball.

“(It was) inspirational, eye-opening,” Baron said of his first encounter with Wooden. “I was in disbelief when I first met him. He was a great guy, offers a lot of words of advice. He’s still a coach, he’s always gonna be a coach.”

An anchor in the UCLA backcourt that included current Memphis Grizzlies guard Earl Watson, Davis averaged 13.6 points, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game wearing the blue and gold, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1998.

“It was good,” Watson recalled of his experience playing alongside Baron. “We knew each other so well, we were so close, that it benefited us on the court.”

Although Davis and Watson have been involved in the professional circuit for five and three years now, respectively, outstanding circumstances prevented the two from taking the court against each other until this season.

“Each year one of us has been hurt every time we faced each other,” said Watson. “I was with him all day before the game, like back in college. (Then) we got on the court and played against each other. It was fun.”

One thing is for sure, Watson had a more enjoyable time taking the court with him rather than on opposing teams, as he currently does with Memphis.

“Baron is unreal. He can do anything,” Watson said.

After an early exit from the NCAA Tournament in 1999, he took his talents to the NBA draft, where he was selected third overall. The rest is history.

From the college ranks to the professional level, what Davis has brought to the basketball court in statistics is equally matched in attitude and selflessness.

His eye-opening statistics this year earned him his second All-Star Game appearance, as well as legitimate consideration for the NBA’s MVP award, mentioned in the same breath as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. But Davis values the number of wins more than the accolades.

The 2003-2004 season has been a tough ride for Baron, but those nights spent playing under the banners of teams past and wearing UCLA colors won off the sweat and grit of names like Goodrich, Walton and Alcindor, have helped him to remain focused on the ultimate prize.

“Some games, I know that I’m not gonna be on, and my shots are not gonna fall, but, you know, I gotta find different ways to lead this team and help us to win,” he said.

A love of the game and a willingness to play has allowed the 23-year-old to make a more than remarkable comeback after an injury-plagued season last year.

Striving to be the best by outsmarting his opponents and helping his team to win has caused this point guard to be considered No. 1.

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