Sports : Taking Stardom for a Test Drive : Basketball: Crossroads guard Baron Davis heard a lot of sales pitches and turned a lot of heads at the Nike All-American Camp.

Crossroads High point guard Baron Davis approached the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis like a teen-ager shopping for a new car.

He was forewarned not to listen to too many sales pitches.

“You hear promises made like these people are car salesmen,” Davis said. “College coaches tell you they want you to come to their school. They make everything sound so great. But at the same time, they could be saying the same thing to another player 1,000 miles away.”

While being scouted by the nation’s top Division I coaches, Davis heard plenty of praise from recruiters during the July evaluation period. While he knows the recruiting process will not start in earnest for another year, he still fantasizes about one day wearing the blue and gold of UCLA or Cal, or playing for Tobacco Road schools Duke, North Carolina or North Carolina State.

“I was so excited to be even mentioned with the top players in the country let alone play on the same court with them,” Davis said.

Davis’ value skyrocketed after he showcased his crossover dribble and breakaway moves at Nike. He was voted one of the top two underclassmen at the camp. Woodbridge 6-10 center Chris Burgess was the other.

NCAA rules prohibit college coaches from contacting non-seniors or commenting about any recruit for print. (The players, however, are allowed to contact the coaches from the schools they are interested in.)

Bob Gibbons, who selected the Nike campers, could not stop talking about Davis’ potential and compared him to Michael Bibby of Shadow Mountain High in Phoenix, the top point guard of the 1995 class. Bibby, the son of former UCLA basketball star Henry Bibby, said he will sign with Arizona.

“Baron Davis was just incredible,” said Gibbons, publisher of Lenoir, N.C.-based All Star Sports Publications. “He tore up Nike. He was the best point guard of his class.”

While the high praise helped boost his confidence, Davis remains a smart shopper.

“All I can do is keep working hard and stay focused and humble,” Davis said.

Before attending Nike Camp, Davis received advice from Crossroads Coach Daryl Roper, who played college basketball at Cal State Fullerton from 1976 to 1980. Roper helped Davis get a Nike invitation.

“Baron had a mission to show people he belonged at Nike,” Roper said. “I asked him what he thought he did best and he responded by saying ‘I can get people the ball and lead a team.’ ” From the reports Roper received, “Davis did all that and more with flavor.”

Roper, however, warns his protege not to get caught up in the recruiting rhetoric. Roper had two major Division I recruits in the past in Providence 6-10 center Austin Croshere and UC Santa Barbara 6-3 guard Bakir Allen, the son of former NBA and UCLA great Lucius Allen.

“I told these guys . . . that basically don’t get caught up in the hype,” Roper said. “These coaches are salesmen and you cannot believe everything you hear. All you can do is play basketball, and when the time comes, you’ll know what your options are. Don’t worry about it too much.”

Croshere, who was The Times’ Westside 1992 player of the year, was recruited by 70 schools but received only one scholarship offer.

Davis has been contacted by 20 Division I schools, according to Roper.

“UCLA has shown the most interest,” Roper said. “I’ve spoken a lot with Coach Jim Harrick and assistant Lorenzo Romar.”

Romar and other college assistants watched Davis play at the Slam-n-Jam National Invitational Tournament this week at Cal State Long Beach. Competing for the Independent All-Stars, Davis scored six of his team’s nine points in overtime for an 87-82 win over Aim High of New York City.

Earlier in the game, Davis impressed onlookers with his drives to the basket. On one particular play he made a crossover dribble to his left, drew two defenders and made an underhanded pass to teammate Travis Reed for an easy basket.

“He’s an excellent ballhandler,” said Reed, a 6-7 center from Manual Arts. “He’s the type of ballplayer who gets his team in the game quickly.”

Davis and Reed are part of a junior class that is considered one of the most talented group of players to come out of Southern California in some time. Schea Cotton, a 6-5 forward who led Mater Dei to the state Division I championship, Burgess of Woodbridge, 6-10 twins Jarron and Jason Collins of Harvard-Westlake and Dominguez 5-9 point guard Kenny Brunner have also drawn praise.

“I think this is the best class ever,” Davis said. “There are a lot of big men. A lot of good big men. And then there is Brunner.”

Davis said at first he was intimidated by the number of outstanding players at Nike.

“At first I didn’t feel I fit in,” Davis said. “I wasn’t a nationwide known player. But Schea Cotton and [Fontana’s] Corey Benjamin encouraged me to play harder.”

Benjamin, who attended his first national all-star camp as a junior last summer, said he knew the pressure Davis was going through.

“All the California people needed to stick together,” said Benjamin, who is considered the top senior prospect from California. “I told him not to let the hype get to him. Play hard and everyone will come out to see you play.”

During the Nike Camp, Davis went head-to-head against Brunner and outplayed him in two of their meetings, according to several California recruits.

“He took people like Brunner to the rack,” Cotton said. “I think Baron can play with anyone.”

Still, Davis believes he is second-best to the Dominguez star.

“I think Kenny is the No. 1 point guard,” Davis said. “We’re all playing in his shadow.”

Davis, however, has grown in size and stature since Roper first selected him as the Roadrunners’ starting point guard for the 1993-94 season.

Davis showed leadership qualities early during his freshman season.

With about two minutes left and his team trailing in a pivotal Delphic League game against Brentwood, Davis, then a freshman, asked Roper, “Can I go off now?”

Roper, who did not take his 5-3 guard seriously, responded, “Sure. Why not?”

Davis proceeded to score the Roadrunners’ next seven points on a layup, a three-point shot and a 15-foot jump shot as the Roadrunners came back to win, 60-59.

Last season, Davis measured 5-9 and improved his scoring average to 13 points a game. He was named to The Times’ Westside all-star second team.

Now two inches away from greatness, the 5-11 Davis hopes to be as tall as his 6-1 father, Walter.

“I’m drinking a lot of milk and trying to stretch as much as possible.”

Davis is also not listening to coaches who may be stretching the truth like a car salesman.