For half an hour, Davis stands with his friends, slapping backs, pumping fists, hugging and high-fiving. As professorially articulate as he can be in an interview, he can talk on the street with the heat and salt of a dockworker pulling a double shift.
The men thank him for cash he has given to a neighborhood football team for kids.
"Baron Davis, you be good."
"Brother Baron, we'll see you again."
"We love you, man. You are for real, baby."
Now it's off to Staples Center for the X Games. Here he stands in private suites, one of the few brown-skinned faces in a cascade of supermodels, actors, musicians and skateboarding icons. He walks up to Grazer, the Hollywood producer.
Grazer, it turns out, is another confidant. They talk about movie projects and how Davis, who has formed a film company called Verso Entertainment, plans to return to UCLA. He wants to know more, take more classes.
Grazer turns to me. That guy, he says, is one of the most remarkable human beings he's ever met.
"He's just fluid," Grazer says. "A chameleon in his ability to be with people from all walks of life. The guy has a totally unique ability to sample other cultures, take from them and use them for practical purpose in his own life."
That's a pretty good description of an L.A. guy.
Wasted in Oakland.
Baron Davis isn't perfect. He can be hot-headed. He's had his injuries. But he says he has matured.
The way he played last year, it's hard not to believe him. His best years could be coming, as they came for Steve Nash and Jason Kidd when they approached 30.
I say we get this guy. He has two years left on his contract, but an option to leave sooner. If he stays healthy and the Warriors do as they always do and botch talks on a new deal, an L.A. team should swoop in.
Doesn't matter which team he'd play for.
And, aside from Kobe, it doesn't matter who we'd have to lose.
This is someone who could wow us on the court and help bring us together off of it. We need that.
It's time to bring the king of L.A. home.
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kurt.streeter@latimes.com
