Former NBA rookie of the year Walt Davis dies at age 69

Walter Davis (YouTube)

According to TSN on Thursday, former Phoenix Suns shooting guard and small forward Walter Davis of Pineville, North Carolina passed away on Thursday at the age of 69. Davis played 11 season with the Phoenix Suns from 1977 to 1988, four seasons with the Denver Nuggets from 1988 to 1992, and one season with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1991-92. He is the Suns all-time leading scorer with 15, 666 points.

In 1977-78, Davis became the second Suns player in franchise history to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He followed power forward and center Alvan Adams of Lawrence, Kansas, who received the honour in 1976. In 81 games with the Suns in 1977-78, Davis averaged 24.2 points per game, six rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game, 1.4 steals per game, a field goal percentage of .526, and a free throw percentage of .830.

During 1033 NBA regular season games, Davis averaged 18.9 points per game, 3.8 assists per game, three rebounds per game, 1.2 steals per game, a field goal percentage of .511, and a free throw percentage of .872. He was a six-time All-Star, with each time being honoured by the Suns. He was recognized in 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1983-84, and 1986-87.

Nicknamed Candyman, Davis played his college basketball at North Carolina, the same school that Michael Jordan attended. Davis was a first team All-ACC player with the Tar Heels in 1977. Also while attending the University of North Carolina, Davis won a gold medal for the United States in men’s basketball at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.

After Davis’s playing career, he had his number six retired by the Suns. The ceremony took place on April 3, 1994.

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