Walter Davis (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Walter Davis

Davis in 1987
Personal information
Born	(1954-09-09)September 9, 1954 Pineville, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	November 2, 2023(2023-11-02) (aged 69) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	South Mecklenburg (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	193 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College	North Carolina (1973–1977)
NBA Draft	1977 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	1977–1992
Career history
1977–1988	Phoenix Suns
1988–1991	Denver Nuggets
1991	Portland Trail Blazers
1991–1992	Denver Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
6× NBA All-Star (1978–1981, 1984, 1987) 2× All-NBA Second Team (1978, 1979) NBA Rookie of the Year (1978) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1978) No. 6 retired by Phoenix Suns First-team All-ACC (1977) Second-team All-ACC (1976)
Career NBA statistics
Points	19,521 (18.9 ppg)
Assists	3,878 (3.8 apg)
Steals	1,280 (1.2 spg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1976 Montreal Team

Walter Pearl Davis (born September 9, 1954, died November 2, 2023) was an amazing American professional basketball player. He played as a forward and guard for 15 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Most of his career was spent with the Phoenix Suns. Walter Davis was chosen for the NBA All-Star team six times. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team twice. In 1978, he won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. The Suns honored him by retiring his No. 6 jersey in 1994. In 2004, he joined the team's Ring of Honor, which celebrates their greatest players.

Early Life and College Basketball

Growing Up in North Carolina

Walter Davis was born in Pineville, North Carolina. He was the youngest of 13 children in his family. He went to South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte. His high school basketball teams were very successful. They won three state championships and lost only four games in total. After high school, he spent a year at the Sanford School in Delaware. There, he made the All-State team in the 1972-73 season.

College Success and Olympic Gold

Walter Davis became a star player at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in college, he was picked to play for the USA men's basketball team. This team was coached by Dean Smith, who was also his college coach. They went on to win the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

During his first year in college, Davis made a famous shot. He hit a buzzer-beating jump shot against Duke right as the game ended. This shot sent the game into overtime. At Chapel Hill, people called him "Sweet D." This nickname came from his smooth and easy way of playing. It also recognized his strong defensive skills.

Walter Davis's NBA Career

Joining the Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns picked Walter Davis as the fifth player in the 1977 NBA draft. He made a big splash right away. In his first season, he played in 81 games. He averaged 24.2 points per game, which was the highest of his career. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1978. He also earned a spot on the second All-NBA team.

A Star Player for the Suns

For his first ten seasons, Davis was a top scorer. He averaged over 20 points per game six times. He also played in six All-Star Games. On February 25, 1983, Walter Davis set an amazing NBA record. He scored his first 34 points in a game without missing a single shot! He made his first 15 shots from the field. Then, he made four free throws in a row. He finally missed a shot with only 55 seconds left in the game. Before him, Larry Costello held this record. Costello had made his first 32 points without a miss in 1961.

Throughout his career, Walter Davis averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game. Fans and commentators gave him several nicknames. He was known as "The Greyhound" because of his fast playing style and fit look. Suns announcer Al McCoy also called him "The Candyman" and "The Man with the Velvet Touch." Walter Davis is still the Phoenix Suns' all-time leading scorer. He scored a total of 15,666 points for the team.

Moving to Other Teams

After his time with the Suns, Walter Davis played for other teams. He signed a two-year deal with the Denver Nuggets. He played for the Nuggets for two years. In early 1991, he was part of a trade that sent him to the Portland Trail Blazers for half a season. Walter Davis ended his career with 19,521 points. He was just 479 points shy of reaching 20,000 career points. In the summer of 1991, he returned to Denver to finish his playing career.

Life After Basketball

After retiring from playing, Walter Davis stayed involved with basketball. He worked as a broadcaster for the Denver Nuggets. He also served as a scout for the Washington Wizards. Over time, his connection with the Phoenix Suns grew strong again. In 1994, the Suns retired his No. 6 jersey. This means no other player on the Suns can wear that number. In 2004, he was honored by being added to the team's Ring of Honor.

Walter Davis was also related to another famous basketball player. He was the uncle of Hubert Davis. Hubert Davis also played for the University of North Carolina and in the NBA. Today, Hubert Davis is the head coach for the UNC men's basketball team.

Images for kids

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  Walter Davis playing for the Phoenix Suns in 1987.

Regular season statistics

Playoff statistics

See also

In Spanish: Walter Davis para niños

• List of National Basketball Association franchise career scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association top rookie scoring averages