Phoenix Suns legend Walter Davis to be inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Apr 6, 2024, 12:00 PM | Updated: 2:00 pm
Walter Davis #6 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles against the Los Angeles Lakers during the game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images)
Six-time Phoenix Suns All-Star Walter Davis will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Davis played for the Suns from 1977-88 and is second in Phoenix franchise history with 766 games played, behind only Alvan Adams (988).
He won NBA Rookie of the Year in 1977-78, averaging 25.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game for Phoenix.
Davis, whose No. 6 is in the team’s Ring of Honor, 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 was also selected to two All-NBA teams as a member of the Suns.
“I played against some of the best players in the world, but one player that always scared me was Walter Davis,” Michael Cooper said. “I remember being kept up at night thinking about ‘how am I gonna stop the Greyhound?'”
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The 6-foot-6 shooting guard spent a total of 15 years in the NBA, playing for the Denver Nuggets (1988-91, 1991-92) and Portland Trail Blazers (1991).
He is currently 58th on the NBA/ABA’s career scoring list.
In college, the Pineville, N.C., native played under legendary coach Dean Smith for the University of North Carolina. Smith also coached Davis on the United States team that won the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
“His college number at UNC was 24, and here we are in 2024. It’s pretty special,” his daughter Hillary said. “To have it announced here in Phoenix, we feel like it was meant to be.”
Davis scored 1,863 points, grabbed 670 rebounds and recorded 409 assists as a Tar Heel. He was also an uncle of current UNC head coach Hubert Davis. Davis died this past November from natural causes at age 69.
Recognized posthumously is Walter Davis, 6x @NBAAllStar, 1978 Rookie of the Year, the all-time leading scorer in @Suns history and #24HoopClass inductee. pic.twitter.com/1DmRJbeRoM
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 6, 2024
Vince Carter inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Former Sun Vince Carter will also be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The only NBA player to play in four different decades, Carter was an eight-time All-Star and the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year as a member of the Toronto Raptors.
The Orlando Magic traded Carter to the Suns in December 2010 along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus and a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, while Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark were dealt to Orlando.
In December 2011, the Suns waived Carter after the conclusion of the NBA lockout. Carter appeared in 51 games (41 starts) for the Suns, averaging 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 42%.
“I have so many heroes and a family member in Tracy McGrady who is in the Hall of Fame,” Carter said. “Watching and hearing about it and hearing all your friends say that you deserve to be in it, it’s all well and good until you get that phone call. It’s better than you can imagine.”
Carter played 22 NBA seasons and finished with 25,728 career points (21st all-time). He also played three seasons at North Carolina and helped the Tar Heels to back-to-back Final Four appearances as a sophomore and junior.
Congratulations to 8x @NBAAllStar, 1998-99 Rookie of the Year and the only player in @NBAHistory to play in four different decades, #24HoopClass inductee Vince Carter. pic.twitter.com/MiTGEgNXre
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 6, 2024
Former Phoenix Mercury All-Star Michele Timms inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Former Phoenix Mercury point guard Michele Timms will also be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Timms was assigned to the Mercury during the league’s initial player allocation and spent 1997-2001 in the Valley.
She helped lead the Mercury to a 1998 WNBA Finals appearance before falling to the Houston Comets. The 1999 WNBA All-Star has her No. 7 retired by the Phoenix Mercury. In international play, she won an Olympic silver medal in 2000 and an Olympic bronze in 1996.
She was a trailblazer in Australian women’s basketball that helped the Opals capture Bronze (1996) and Silver (2000) Olympic medals, a member of the @PhoenixMercury Ring of Honor and also a 2008 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, #24HoopClass inductee Michele Timms. pic.twitter.com/iX25RwrrRK
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 6, 2024
Davis, Carter and Timms will be joined by Cooper, Seimone Augustus, Chauncey Billups, Charles Smith, Dick Barnett, Harley Redin, Herb Simon, Bo Ryan, Doug Collins and Jerry West. The 2024 class will be inducted in August in Springfield, Massachusetts.
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