Walter Davis, a former all-star at the University of North Carolina who spent 15 seasons in the NBA, died on Thursday. He was 69.
He was visiting family in Charlotte when he died of natural causes, according to his alma mater.
Davis, was a two-time All-ACC honoree (1976 and 1977), averaging 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 119 games over four seasons. He was a two-time All-ACC honoree. The Pineville native and North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame inductee led the Tar Heels to an ACC tournament win and the NCAA championship game as a senior.
He was one of four North Carolina stars to play on the 1976 Olympic basketball team that won gold with coach Dean Smith at the helm. His nephew, Hubert Davis, is the current head coach at UNC.
After his collegiate career, Davis was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the fifth overall pick of the 1977 NBA draft. His first campaign earned him NBA Rookie of the Year honors and he went on to spend a total of 11 seasons with the Suns. He remains the team's all-time leading scorer.
Davis was a six-time NBA All-Star. He averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists and three rebounds across 1,033 career games with the Suns, Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers.
His sleek style of play garnered lasting nicknames such as "Sweet D," "The Greyhound" and “The Man with the Velvet Touch."
The Suns retired his No. 6 jersey in 1994 and honored remembered him in a statement on Thursday:
"We are heartbroken by the passing of Suns legend Walter Davis, the franchise's all-time leading scorer and a member of our Ring of Honor," the Suns wrote. ''Sweet D' was one of the game's best, a prolific scorer whose smooth playing style and 'velvet touch' endeared him to generations of our fans. He will forever be a member of our Phoenix Suns family and community. Our thoughts remain with his family and friends during this difficult time."
We are heartbroken by the passing of Suns legend Walter Davis, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and a member of our Ring of Honor.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 2, 2023
‘Sweet D’ was one of the game’s best, a prolific scorer whose smooth playing style and ‘velvet touch’ endeared him to generations of our… pic.twitter.com/Ai9pmafJYt
The Nuggets also issued a statement about Davis, calling him a "Great man who left a lasting impression on the organization, the communities he did so much for and everyone he interacted with."
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 2, 2023
Davis retired from basketball in 1992 to pursue a career in broadcasting.
"Once I started doing it. I really liked it," he told <a class="rapid-with-clickid" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:ESPN;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" data-original-link="https://www.espn.com/classic/s/Where_now_davis_walter.html#:~:text=He%20was%20a%20first%2Dround,to%20pursue%20a%20broadcasting%20career." href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8b9dfafd-e7b1-4ac1-bb73-50d55c74d82d&siteId=us-sports&pageId=1p-autolink&featureId=text-link&merchantName=ESPN&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5lc3BuLmNvbS9jbGFzc2ljL3MvV2hlcmVfbm93X2RhdmlzX3dhbHRlci5odG1sIzp-OnRleHQ9SGUlMjB3YXMlMjBhJTIwZmlyc3QlMkRyb3VuZCx0byUyMHB1cnN1ZSUyMGElMjBicm9hZGNhc3RpbmclMjBjYXJlZXIuIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI3MGVkYTFjZC05YWNkLTRhOTItYWNlZi1iNTlmZDNmNWQxZWYifQ&signature=AQAAAVrnvbQD9k2ZJmxsAV8ec0Szqj05b4-YA9v3rUOMyJU1&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fclassic%2Fs%2FWhere_now_davis_walter.html%23%3A%7E%3Atext%3DHe%2520was%2520a%2520first%252Dround%2Cto%2520pursue%2520a%2520broadcasting%2520career.">ESPN</a> in 2003. "I get to travel, but I don't have to play. I get the best seat in the house and talk about something that was a big part of my life."
In 2002, he left television to join the staff of the Washington Wizards as a scout. His nephew, Hubert Davis, is the current head coach at UNC.
