When you're almost 37 and have been away from the game for nearly four years, starting a comeback means starting at the bottom.
And so, former All-Star point guard Baron Davis has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers' D-League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical.
Davis has made it clear that he plans to use the D-League as a launching pad back to the NBA, where he believes he's still capable of playing 20 minutes a night. That'll be no easy feat. The last time Davis appeared on an NBA court he was being stretchered off at Madison Square Garden after completely tearing the ACL, MCL, and patellar tendon in his right knee during the first round of the 2012 playoffs. The devastating injury ended his brief New York Knicks tenure, and seemingly his career.
Davis teased the comeback at several points, if only semi-seriously, releasing what appeared to be farcical videos back in 2014 that showed him training with Steve Nash to get back in shape.
After a three-year hiatus, during which he dabbled in acting and producing, Davis participated in the Drew League last summer, dropping 44 points in a game. Soon after, he officially announced what had been a longstanding intention of attempting an NBA return, and finally entered the D-League players' pool in January. No team showed interest in signing him until Delaware - having lost two guards to 10-day NBA contracts - came knocking.
The 13-year NBA veteran averaged 16.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.8 steals in his 835-game career, being named to two All-Star teams and one All-NBA third team.
He is reportedly expected to debut for Delaware in Friday's home game against the Iowa Energy.
