Hornets’ Davis to give a little back to Las Vegas

Victoria Sun

Friday, July 5, 2002 | 9:30 a.m.

Baron Davis made Las Vegas his off-season home when he bought a house at Southern Highlands last year.

Now that the Los Angeles transplant has put down roots in the desert, he is committed to helping area youths achieve their basketball goals.

The 23-year-old NBA point guard, offered a six-year contract extension by the New Orleans Hornets this week, will be teaching skills and conducting drills at the Baron Davis Next Level Basketball Camp that starts Monday.

The five-day camp for boys and girls entering fourth through 10th grades is at Las Vegas High School.

"I want to bring basketball from a professional mind set to the city to help younger kids who have aspirations of being in the NBA," Davis said. "There are a lot of people who live here who don't reach out to the community. That's what I want to do.

"The aim of the camp is to give kids a solid foundation in the fundamentals of basketball. (I want) to make it fun as well as teach them different things that tie into basketball, like stretching, good nutrition and watching game tape."

Davis' camp will feature guest speakers and other surprise guests.

Davis is coming off his best professional season. Having been the third overall pick of the 1999 draft, the former UCLA star posted career-high averages in points (18.1), assists (8.5) and steals (2.1) in his third year with the Hornets.

His improved play helped the Hornets reach the Eastern Conference semifinals, in which he averaged 22.6 points, 7.9 assists and seven rebounds per game.

After 14 seasons in Charlotte, team owners decided it was time to relocate to New Orleans, where the team will debut next season in the New Orleans Arena.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge," Davis said. "It's a new vibe, a new atmosphere. I think we'll be ready for it.

"The owners felt there was a need to move. We weren't getting the fan participation that they were getting in the past, so it was time for a change. We're all pumped up and ready to go."

With the recent influx of high school seniors, college underclassmen and international players to the NBA, Davis feels it's important that his camp stress fundamentals. Campers will receive instruction in shooting, dribbling, free throws and strategy.

"Once you get to the NBA, there's only so far you can go with athleticism," he said. "Fundamentals take you to a whole other level.

"If you watch the elite players in the NBA, they're very skilled and very athletic. That's the most important thing -- teaching kids fundamentals, and pushing them to learn it."

Proceeds from the camp will benefit the Clifton L. Smith Sr. Scholarship Fund, which helps young victims of gang and domestic violence.

Though Davis has plenty of family and friends in L.A., he plans on spending most of his time in Las Vegas to work out and focus on business ventures.

"I think Las Vegas is a great city," he said. "It's a city on the rise. It's relaxed, but there's a lot of things to do."

That's what I want to do."