The We Believe Warriors are etched in NBA history as an electrifying underdog story. Built around a group of gritty, determined players who had bounced around the league searching for a home, the 2006-07 Golden State Warriors stunned the basketball world by knocking out the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks — the defending Western Conference champions — in just six games.
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It was only the third time an 8-seed had toppled a 1-seed, but what set this team apart were the larger-than-life personalities and the raw emotions they brought to every game that turned their playoff run into something unforgettable. While Baron Davis was clearly the Dubs’ engine on the court, he recently shared how his influence off the court was just as powerful.
With a roster full of high-energy veterans, it’s no surprise that this version of the Warriors knew how to have a good time. Baron Davis was no stranger to the nightlife himself, but he also kept a watchful eye on his teammates when things started to get out of hand.
According to Davis, Stephen Jackson was often the one most likely to take the party a little too far, and more than once, it was up to the former All-Star to step in before the night got out of control. In these instances, Davis proved to be just as much of a leader off the court as he was on.
“They gotta watch us because [Stephen Jackson] is, you know, he gonna put on a show wherever he go,” Davis said of his former teammate during his appearance on Podcast P with Paul George. “How do you beat Stephen Jackson so we don’t get in trouble? I’m gonna start wigging out.”
Even when he wasn’t as intoxicated as the seasoned veterans around him, Davis had a way of making it seem like he was. His magnetic leadership was critical. Without it, the Warriors wouldn’t have been the same team. So whenever Davis began to act up in the club, his teammates were quick to step in and rein things back before they got out of hand.
“So if I start wigging out, guess what he gonna do? ‘Come on, man, let’s get BD in the car! Let’s go! Let’s go! We can’t have him out here tripping!'” Davis continued. “So anytime we go out to the club, I just grab the mic at the DJ thing when it’s time to go. They be like, ‘Aw, BD tripping, man. We gotta go. We gotta protect BD. Get him in the car, he tripping!’ But it really be [Jackson].”
“We in D.C., man, and dude bump [Jackson],” the 46-year-old said before explaining how he kept Jackson from drunkenly raging on a random man. “So I’m at the top … And you can just see [Jackson] looking for the dude, like going on the levels and s*** … So I was like, ‘Yo, when we get out this club, I’m just gonna take off running like I’m about to fire on somebody.'”
Davis undoubtedly came through for Jackson more than once, steering him away from trouble during their wild nights. Jackson’s wildcard personality was well known, but Davis seemed to have figured out how to keep him in check.
While the We Believe Warriors certainly enjoyed their partying, above all else, they prioritized watching each other’s backs, on and off the court.
