Suns all-time leading scorer Walter Davis finalist for Hall of Fame
Feb 17, 2024, 8:09 AM | Updated: 11:23 am
Phoenix Suns all-time leading scorer Walter Davis is a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Davis, a member of the Suns’ Ring of Honor that has his No. 6 jersey retired, is first in Suns history with 15,666 points, first in field goals made (6,497), third in steals (1,040) and fourth in assists (3,340).
He won NBA Rookie of the Year in 1977-78, averaging 24.2 points, six rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game for Phoenix. Davis’ time at North Carolina on top of winning an Olympic gold medal in 1976 led to him getting selected fifth overall in the 1977 NBA Draft. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Suns and was an All-Star six times during that span.
Davis passed away in November at the age of 69 due to natural causes.
Among Davis as finalists are former Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups, ex-New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter, former Los Angeles Lakers forward Michael Cooper, ex- Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan and Louisiana high school coaching legend Charles Smith.
The class will be announced on April 6 in Phoenix at the NCAA Men’s Final Four.