David ends up with Celtics

Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis was picked as the 35th pick, the fifth pick of the second round, by the Seattle Supersonics and then shipped to the Boston Celtics as part of a six-player deal.

“(Boston) is a wonderful team and the things they do are great,” Davis said. “I’m just excited to get to work. Sometimes things don’t happen the way you want it to happen. It’s not a day of sadness that I didn’t go in the first round. I’m here and I play basketball and that’s my dream. I have a shot at my dream. There’s more to my story.”

Davis was the 2006 SEC Player of the Year and was third in the SEC in scoring at 17.6 points per game and led the league in rebounding for the second straight year in 2007 as the only player to average a double-double in the SEC, at 10.4 rebounds a game.

Davis becomes the 46th player chosen in the NBA draft from LSU since 1952.

&#8220He’s at the next step now, he’s fulfilled a dream that he’s had,” LSU coach John Brady said. &#8220There have been a lot of guys drafted where he was who have made it. I’m confident in Glen’s ability to work. He knows what he has to do and with his personality and his work ethic, I have no doubts he’ll take advantage of this opportunity.”

FAN DAY DATE SET

LSU’s 2007 Football Fan Day has been scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 12, in Tiger Stadium. The start time for the event hasn’t been determined yet and won’t be until early August.

LSU’s annual Fan Day will feature head coach Les Miles, along with his assistant coaches, and the Tiger football team.

Fans will be able to get autographs and take pictures with their favorite player or coach that day. Mike the Tiger and the LSU cheerleaders will also be on hand for the event.

LSU football posters, schedule cards, schedule magnets and the popular schedule poster will be distributed to fans that day as well.

BATEMAN SHINES

Former LSU All-America golfer Brian Bateman made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to earn his first career PGA Tour victory at the Buick Open at Warwick Hills on Sunday.

Bateman, who turned professional in 1996, shot a final-round 3-under-par 69 to finish at 15-under — one shot clear of three players already in the clubhouse hoping for a playoff. Bateman shot an opening-round 65 and then rounds of 70 and 69.

Ranked 205th in the Tour’s FedEx playoff-format standings entering the week, Bateman vaulted to No. 44. He also earned an exemption into the 2008 Masters Tournament.

Though he had once won on the Nationwide Tour (also known as golf’s minor league), in 1998, his previous best PGA Tour finish was third (twice).

The Monroe, La., native just missed earning exempt status for the 2007 season as he finished 128th on the official 2006 PGA Tour Money List by earning a total of $645,153 while making 10 cuts in 26 events.

The top 125 money leaders each year qualify for automatic entry onto the PGA Tour the following season. He won’t have to worry about that in 2008.

After earning his card through “Q-School” five of the past six years, his win at the Buick Open and its $882,000 top prize will equal exempt status.

In eight events this season, Bateman had made only four cuts and $56,708 in official earnings.

Bateman earned four varsity letters at LSU from 1993-96 and was named a Third-Team All-American as a senior in 1996.

He was also a three-time All-SEC performer from 1994-96. Buick Open defending champion Tiger Woods did not play in this season’s event the week after the birth of his first child.

Photo by STEVE FRANZ

• LSU Even though he wasn’t drafted in the first round, Glen Davis is happy about getting an opportunity to play for the Boston Celtics.