Baron Davis didn’t mince words when asked who he believes is the greatest athlete to ever come out of Los Angeles. Speaking on the All Facts No Brakes podcast with Keyshawn Johnson, the former NBA All-Star gave Paul Pierce his flowers in full.
“I always say P is the greatest to come out of L.A. because he is a Hall of Famer. He’s a champion. He a Hall of Famer. He a McDonald’s All-American. He gotta be number one.”
For Davis, the accolades speak for themselves. Pierce grew up in Inglewood, shined at Inglewood High, and went on to have a legendary basketball journey from being a McDonald’s All-American to a standout at Kansas, to becoming an NBA champion and Finals MVP with the Boston Celtics.
His longevity, clutch performances, and iconic status in Boston lore have all but cemented his legacy. Davis, also an L.A. native, clearly sees Pierce’s resume as untouchable, at least when looking strictly within the city limits.
And if we’re talking about Los Angeles proper, the actual city, not the entire Southern California region, Davis has a fair point. Few athletes from inside L.A. city boundaries can match Pierce’s basketball pedigree and Hall of Fame credentials.
His career, spanning nearly two decades, included 10 All-Star selections, over 26,000 points, and unforgettable playoff heroics, including that 2008 NBA championship and the unforgettable Game 1 “wheelchair return” in the Finals.
However, once the conversation widens to include the Los Angeles metropolitan area, things get more complicated. That’s when names like Russell Westbrook (from Long Beach), Kawhi Leonard (from Riverside), and Maya Moore (raised in nearby Ventura County) enter the picture.
All three boast elite resumes: Westbrook, a former MVP and triple-double machine; Leonard, a two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP; and Moore, one of the most decorated women’s basketball players of all time.
Expand it further to the Greater Los Angeles area, and the competition reaches mythic proportions.
Now we’re talking about Bo Jackson, the two-sport marvel who dominated both MLB and the NFL and became a cultural icon.
We’re also talking about Venus and Serena Williams, both of whom grew up in Compton and revolutionized tennis while amassing a combined 30+ Grand Slam titles. Their impact on sports, culture, and global visibility dwarfs nearly every athlete from the region, male or female.
So while Baron Davis’ claim that Pierce is the greatest athlete out of Los Angeles may hold up within the city limits, it becomes much more debatable when considering the broader Southern California talent pool.
What’s not in doubt is Pierce’s place among L.A.’s most iconic athletes. He represents the city’s gritty, fearless mentality and made his name by being tough, relentless, and clutch, everything an L.A. hooper is supposed to be.
In Baron’s eyes, Pierce is the guy. And given what he accomplished, you can’t fault the loyalty. Still, when names like Serena, Bo, and Westbrook hover over the city skyline, the debate is far from closed.
