Walter Davis, an icon in Phoenix Suns history, was officially inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday in Springfield, Massachusetts. Davis, who passed away at age 69 on November 2, 2023, joined a prestigious 2024 Hall of Fame class that included Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, and Michael Cooper, among others.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Born on September 9, 1954, in Pineville, North Carolina, Davis was the youngest of 13 children. His basketball talents emerged early, leading South Mecklenburg High School to three state championships. He continued his rise to prominence at the University of North Carolina, where he played all four years and averaged 15.7 points per game while shooting 53% from the field.
Davis was selected fifth overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1977 NBA Draft and wasted no time making an impact. In his NBA debut against the Golden State Warriors, Davis scored 20 points, grabbed six rebounds, and recorded five steals. His strong start propelled him to one of the greatest rookie seasons in league history, where he averaged 24.2 points, six rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. His exceptional play earned him the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Nicknamed “The Man with the Velvet Touch” for his smooth shooting, Davis became a cornerstone of the Suns franchise, spending 11 seasons with the team. He averaged 20.5 points per game and shot 52% from the floor, making him the Suns’ all-time leading scorer with 15,666 points. Davis was named to six NBA All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams during his time in Phoenix, playing a key role in leading the Suns to two Western Conference Finals appearances.
After concluding his NBA career with stints at the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers, Davis transitioned into broadcasting for the Nuggets and later worked as a scout for the Washington Wizards. In 1994, the Phoenix Suns retired his No. 6 jersey, forever enshrining his legacy in the Suns’ Ring of Honor at the Footprint Center.
