Former NBA star Baron Davis exclusively spoke to Us Weekly about how his intense training for Dancing With the Stars is helping to get him back in peak physical shape.
“Considering I retired 10 years ago … I’m [here] for the dads of America,” Davis, 46, joked while speaking to Us after the DWTS season 34 premiere on Tuesday, September 16. “I [have] the ‘Dad Bod.’ I’m working off my ‘Dad Bod.’ I’m for the dads of America, basically. They’re gonna get off their ass, just like I got off my ass.”
The two-time NBA All-Star, who last played in the NBA for the New York Knicks in 2012, credited Dancing With the Stars with bringing “a new life” and “a new energy” to his and his family’s lives. (Davis is a father of two children from his marriage to Isabella Brewster, which ended in 2017.)
“Playing basketball at 46 years old, [it would bring] injuries. … That’s why we don’t think about it, right?” he pointed out. “At the same time, you need that workout. You need something creatively to be that therapeutic outlet. So, this is it.”
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Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars is shaping up to be the best yet. The complete cast of celebrities and pros was announced during the Wednesday, September 3, episode of Good Morning America ahead of the September 16 season premiere following a high-energy performance from Jenna Johnson, Derek Hough and more DWTS favorites. The […]
Davis and his professional dance partner, Britt Stewart, landed on the bottom half of the leaderboard on Tuesday’s premiere, with a score of 10 points for their cha-cha-cha to MC Hammer’s classic hit “U Can’t Touch This.” (Judge Carrie Ann Inaba missed Tuesday’s season opener due to health issues, so only judges Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough’s scores counted toward the premiere totals.)
No couples left the ballroom at the end of Tuesday’s episode, though hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough confirmed there will be a double elimination at the end of “One-Hit Wonders Night” on Tuesday, September 23.
“I was shocked,” Davis’ partner, Stewart, 35, told Us about the double elimination twist. “This is my sixth season as a pro, my 11th season total. So I was shocked, but I also wasn’t shocked, because I know that they’re always going to do something like that!”
The dance pro added, “It just lights a fire under you, makes you feel more competitive!”
Baron Davis and Britt Stewart on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ season 34 premiere Disney/Eric McCandless
Stewart acknowledged that it was “so disappointing” to have Inaba missing from the judges’ table on premiere night.
“[Carrie Ann] has a presence and her energy. She’s been here since season 1, so to not have her in the ballroom for the first time was a bummer,” Stewart told Us. “But, to be honest, I don’t think it added any pressure or anything like that.”
Prior to season 34 kicking off this week, Davis admitted in an exclusive interview with Us that he was “a little hesitant” to sign up for Dancing With The Stars, despite his athletic background.
“You go back and forth, and you’re like, you know, if you do this, you’re all in, and you’re dancing in front of people, a lot of people, on TV,” he said on September 5.
Davis mentioned that he was approaching DWTS in the same way that he did with his NBA career by putting all of his “anxiety and nervousness” aside before showtime.
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“I get [anxiety] as an athlete, before games, before practice, and that just means that, like, I’m readying myself for something,” he insisted.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.
Prove your DWTS fandom with Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv! Compete against other fans and Us editors in the Bracketology DWTS fantasy league this season to predict which pairs will make it to the finale for season 34. Get access to exclusive content, stats and a chance to win prizes. Join the league for free today!