Pro athletes usually don’t want other folks laughing at them, though.

Baron Davis: I’ll never be that “trying to be all serious” guy. It’s just not who I am. When something’s meaningful, I can get down and talk about serious matters. But we’ve been blessed to play basketball and be who we are. Sometimes we lose that kid inside.

Was there anything specific that made you want to drop the façade?

Baron Davis: Early in your career you want to be this and that and “keep it real” and maintain your street cred. I just got really tired of it. Being guarded all the time wasn’t fun. And I started realizing that hanging out in the hood all the time wasn’t really beneficial. I just felt like there was more of the world to see.

You caught a lot of flack a couple seasons ago for flashing a gang sign during a game, though.

Baron Davis: Yeah, from the media. They talked about Paul Pierce, why he threw up “gang signs” [in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs]. I’m not saying that was the best thing, but at the same time you can’t hide who you are. I grew up playing with gangbangers. You’re not glorifying it; it’s just like, “Oh shit, did I just do that?” That’s just part of what builds you and what helps you make it.

Speaking of gangs, how did the Made in America film come about?

Baron Davis: The idea was, What can I do to get back to my community? You can try to do all you can to get to the kids, but what I found was you always have to go through the gangs. A lot of my family members are gangbangers; I’ve put my foot in the water [before]. I want to create a system that makes it easier for athletes and entertainers from the inner city to reconnect. And I thought the best way to do something was to make a movie. It gives the world an opportunity to see exactly how real it is.

Have you always been into film?

Baron Davis: Yeah, I always grew up around movies, because it wasn’t too safe to be outside a lot. It gave me another world to live in, to not deal with the reality of what was going on.

Is that something you want to pursue full-time after your basketball career?

Baron Davis: Yes and no. The next step in life from a serious perspective is working with kids; but from a fun perspective, film is a world I want to conquer because I’ve been paying my dues for a while.

Is acting in your future?

Baron Davis: [Laughs.] Only if Steve Nash is in it with me. Home // CELEBRITIES // THE SHOTCALLER // Baron Davis