Glen Davis' nickname no longer good fit
July 10, 2006
By Associated Press
Glen Davis' nickname doesn't even fit anymore.
In three months, college basketball's "Big Baby" has dropped nearly 45 pounds, gotten himself into better shape and has improved his quickness and agility.
Meet the new and improved "Slim Baby."
"I'm just eating healthier, but it's tough especially for a college student," he said. "It's not like I eat crazy, it's just really, really difficult when you stay up late and do all that college stuff."
Glen Davis earned his nickname partly because of his unique combination of massive size and genteel demeanor. While the fun-loving Davis hasn't changed his personality that sometimes borders on comic relief, he has certainly changed his look.
A year ago, Davis measured in at 6-foot-9 and a generously listed 310 pounds, but the extra padding rarely affected Davis' play.
He averaged 18.6 points and 9.7 rebounds, becoming the first Southeastern Conference player to win both titles in the same season since Shaquille O'Neal in 1991. He was chosen conference player of the year, earned second team All-America honors and led the Tigers to their first Final Four in two decades.
But a dreadful performance against UCLA in the national semifinals forced Glen Davis to make some reassessments. After shooting 5-of-17 from the floor and spending much of the night trying to catch his breath against the Bruins, Davis opted for a change.
When he returned this week to Indianapolis - the site of his Final Four implosion - as a counselor at the Nike All-America Camp, Davis looked so svelte he was almost unrecognizable.
"When I got here, he was the first guy I saw, and I couldn't believe it," Florida forward Al Horford said.
The results on the court have been noticeable, but Davis still sees room for improvement, which is why he decided to stay in school rather than jump to the NBA.
"He's always been quick, but when you lose weight, you get quicker," said Horford, also a counselor at the camp that ended Sunday.
