In his third year in the league, in which promising players often make brash leaps from benchwarmer to starter, from starter to star, Avery Bradley took a big step back. But his regression might be deceptive. When he returned to the Celtics’ lineup on January the 2nd after two in-season months recovering from offseason shoulder [...]

Big Baby Been Getting Around

Posted by Brendan Jackson on Sep 20, 2010 98895 commentsBig+Baby+Been+Getting+Around2010-09-21+02%3A47%3A03Brendan+Jackson

Last week, our friend Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com posted a quick link to a story about Glen Davis paying a visit to his Alma Mater LSU. What he failed to mention and if you did not heed the suggestion at the bottom of the page (“Click HERE to read the full story.”) then you did not watch the video interview with Boston’s Big Baby. I highly suggest you check it out. It shows a side of Glen Davis Celtics’ fans rarely get to see. Instead of snarling, crying, laughing, joking- he’s calm, and yet completely in his element.

As Chris did point out, Davis did sound excited to play with former LSU Tiger Shaquille O’Neal this season. However, perhaps more interesting and pertinent to the Celtics success this season is going to be Davis’ role as he works to fit in among the newly planted O’Neal trees across the front line:

“”Miami has built their team to be a strong competitor,” he said. “And then you have Chicago with young talent and Carlos Boozer is with them. The East will be really strong. It’s going to be interesting to see how it all plays out in the East.”

Davis said he has been working hard, working especially to get his game to be a straight four player like he was in 2008-09 season. That will be more his spot with the Celtics addition of Jermaine O’Neal and some other guy who did his thing at LSU as well, Shaquille O’Neal.

“It’s crazy,” Davis said smiling. “I can remember days when I was just a little boy watching him play here at LSU. Shaq was everywhere in the city. To be in the NBA and play against him and now having him on the same team it’s unbelievable. I’m so glad he’s on our team and he can help us get back to that championship.”‘

Again, the key sentence is “Davis said he has been working hard, working especially to get his game to be a straight four player like he was in 2008-09 season.” Probably the most underrated consequence of the Jermaine and Shaquille O’Neal signings. Glen Davis will be playing a lot of pick and pop this year and spending some more time facing up to the basket. He’ll also reap the benefits of the newbies drawing more attention on the glass which should translate into more available rebounds for Davis.

Going back to the idea of seeing Glen Davis as Celtics fans usually see him (you know, doing something zany), find out after the jump where else Glen Davis spent some time this summer.

That’s right. China.

This next one might be my favorite. He just looks like such a little kid in the picture (and trust me, I mean that in the most endearing way possible).

In case the “little kid” picture fooled you, here’s a good one to show scale.

How can this not be in the Celtics program this season? Part of me really wants the Celtics to sign Sun Yue or trade for a Danny Ainge favorite Yi Jianlian for pure marketing purposes.

There are no words….

Okay so this one is not from Glen Davis’ trip to China, but I had to put it in. If this does not remind you of Shaquille O’Neal, than I don’t know what would. Maybe some Kazaam Hammer Pants.