Walter Davis

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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.

"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.

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PHOENIX SUNS STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF WALTER DAVIS

Matt Petersen

Before a best trade (Charles Barkley in 1992) and a free agent signing (Steve Nash in 2004) in franchise history, the title of "best Suns team ever" was complicated.

The 1975-76 crew punched the franchise's first-ever Finals ticket was, by every admission, a Cinderella occurrence. Their regular season record was 40-42. Not poor, but not elite, either. They peaked at the right time and rode that momentum as far as they could.

It was the 1980-81 edition that seemed to hold the most promise. Riding a balanced attack led by Walter Davis, Truck Robinson, Dennis Johnson and Alvan Adams, the Suns set a new franchise record with 57 wins.

That season was not a fluke. Quietly, Phoenix had established itself as one of the most consistent powers out West. It was the Suns — not the Kareem-led Lakers, Sikma-inspired Sonics — that had won the most games of any Pacific Division team over the previous four seasons. Even with L.A. rejuvenated by the addition of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Phoenix had claimed the most recent division championship.

Their regular-season success, however, had been met by postseason disappointment. Despite possessing the number one seed in the West — and consequently earning a first-round bye — the Suns were upset by fifth-seed Kansas City. Ironically, the Kings were then captained by former and future head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons.

Playoff elimination notwithstanding, the Suns were hopeful their franchise-best record was a harbinger of more success to come. Those hopes were brought to a screeching halt, however, in what would have otherwise been a meaningless game.

Phoenix was locked into a close battle with San Diego in the final preseason contest on Oct. 23, 1981. In the fourth quarter, Davis — an All-Star in every one of his previous four years in the league — was battling several Clippers for a rebound. In the crowded scramble, for former Rookie of the Year was knocked off-balance and fell to the floor. His first point of contact: his left elbow.

The consequence was immediate. The impact and angle of the fall led to a displaced fracture. Though the break occurred on his non-shooting arm, the resulting surgery and two-plus months' worth of recovery time ensured that the "Sweet D" Suns fans had grown accustomed to seeing would not take the floor that season.

Instead, Davis was reduced to a sixth-man role. Second-year guard Kyle Macy, coming off a rookie season in which he averaged 8.1 points per contest, replaced his All-Star teammate in the starting lineup.

The effect of Davis' absence was immediate. Sports Illustrated wrote, "There was more bark than bite in the Suns' first weekend of the season, as they lost to Portland and Seattle. Hurry back, Walter Davis."

Phoenix's prized first-round pick of 1977 did return, and far sooner than anticipated. When announced to his home crowd on Dec. 19, the fans stood and cheered the return of their star guard for a full two minutes.

The Davis they welcomed back, however, was not the same one they'd seen in the previous season. That one had not borne the discomfort of wires and screws holding his elbow together. His reduced effectiveness could no longer bear the weight of a starting role. Macy stepped up his game and led the team in assists (4.7 apg). His improvement, however, was a far cry from Davis' former brilliance. One of the core pieces of Phoenix's balanced attack was cracked, and the rest of the structure crumbled just enough to lose 11 more games than the previous season. 

Davis improved toward the end of the year and showed his old self was well on its way back in the first round of the playoffs. The 6-6 guard scored 20, 17 and 30 points, respectively, in a tight first-round series against Denver. His Game 3 heroics (10-17 FG, 9-9 FT) proved the difference as Phoenix advanced with a five-point win.

Neither Davis — still with all manner of metal keeping his elbow intact — nor the Suns were completely whole, however, and it cost them a second-round meeting with the rejuvenated Lakers. The resulting 4-0 sweep led to the disbanding of Phoenix's five-year core. Dennis Johnson was dealt to Boston in June, and Truck Robinson followed him out the door (to New York) two weeks later.

Despite the arrival of All-Star forward Maurice Lucas and the emergence of Larry Nance, Phoenix did not regain sustained success again until Davis left in the summer of 1988. Former teammate and fellow Ring of Honor member Alvan Adams dubbed the 1981 and 1979 teams as the best complete-season teams played with. Davis' preseason injury was one of the biggest falling dominoes that led to the core of those teams ultimately disbanding.

There was a silver lining for the individual victim of bad luck. Davis would ultimately regain peak form, averaging better than 20 points per game in three of the next four seasons and earning All-Star honors in 1984 and 1987. His jersey No. 6, synonymous with the best jump shot in Suns history, was retired in 1994.

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Suns Throwback: An Elbow's Impact

Misses are a part of NBA life. Sooner or later, one is bound to happen, and that's on a good day.

Back in 1983, Suns Ring of Honor member Walter Davis avoided that moment long enough to set a new mark in NBA history.

The setting was Seattle, Wash., where point guard wizard Gus Williams (20.0 ppg, 8.0 apg, 2.3 spg) and All-Star big man Jack Sikma (18.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg) and helped restore the Sonics' relevance following their championship-contending years of the late 1970s.

That season, Phoenix was riding the consistency of established stars, including Davis, Larry Nance, Maurice Lucas Dennis Johnson and Alvan Adams. The Suns' game in the Emerald City would take place less than 24 hours after a hard-fought win at Utah.

There was no indication that Davis would have an extraordinary night on this particular night. The sixth-year pro had shot just 8-of-18 from the field against the Jazz the night before, a below-average mark for his normally on-target jumper.

So Davis made his first shot. Then his second. A third. A fourth.

“I don't remember a sweeter shot. Ray Allen's got a great shot. The Splash Brothers, [too]. [Walter Davis] was a feared shooter. The other team knew it, too.”

— Alvan Adams on former teammate Walter Davis

His teammates were already used to assuming Davis' jump shots would go in. At this point in his career, "Sweet D" had shot over 51 percent from the field in every season despite being a jump-shooting, perimeter-oriented player.

On this night, however, Davis far exceeded even his teammates' lofty expectations. Former teammate and fellow Ring of Honor member Alvan Adams remembers his own thoughts.

"Should I go to the offensive boards? No. He's going to make it anyway."

Davis did just that — 15 times in a row. Combined with his perfect 6-for-6 showing at the free throw line, Davis' night set a new NBA record for most total points scored without a miss (34). Only a missed shot with 55 seconds remaining in the game (an understandable imperfection as the game was close and the Suns still needed points) marred an otherwise perfect night.

For Adams, Davis' historical night punctuated a reputation he still holds in the annals of NBA history, even as the rest of the league has made outside shooting a trendy necessity.

"I don't remember a sweeter shot," Adams said. "Ray Allen's got a great shot. The Splash Brothers, [too]. He (Davis) was a feared shooter. The other team knew it, too.

"Walter was one of the great shooters in NBA history."

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Throwback Thursday: Walter Davis' Record-Setting Night

You know an NBA player has arrived when they have their own shoe deal.

That’s just the way it is, and the way it has been since Michael Jordan redefined the relationship between hoops and sneakers back in the 1980s.

But what about the guys before the shoe revolution? What about the superstars who, had they lived in today’s world, might have had a shoe of their own, a shoe that kids would’ve bought at the expense of allowance loans and parents’ long-suffering?

We have a feeling the Suns would have done particularly well in this hypothetical world, so we’ve pooled the best modern-day shoe candidates. Our criteria for the former Suns players selected as shoe-worthy is three-fold:

With that criteria in mind, here are the best Suns candidates for shoe deals before Jordan’s arrival in 1984.

Talent: There was a time when Van Arsdale was one of the best guards in the league in much the same way Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook is now. He did a little bit of everything in pell-mell fashion. His three-year stretch of at least 21 points per contest earned him a corresponding trio of All-Star appearances. He was probably an elite thief on defense as well. Steals weren’t kept track of until 1973, by which time an already-in-decline Van Arsdale was still averaging 1.2 steals per contest.

Name: The one by which Suns fans know him most is “The Original Sun”, due to his status as the first-every player drafted by Phoenix as an expansion franchise in 1968. We’re going with his other nickname, though: The Flying Dutchman. Stich an image of the ship on the outward side of the shoe, and you’ve got a keeper.

Image: Again, Van Arsdale was very good in his prime, averaging over 21 points, six rebounds and four assists per contest. He was most known for his hard-nosed approach on offense. His non-stop drives to the rim earned him well over seven free throw attempts per game for a four-year stretch. If you’re wearing his shoe, it’s because you’re taking it to the rack. We have a feeling that would appeal to ballers of today’s generation.

Talent: Before Hawkins even made a dent in the professional ranks, he had already become a legend on the New York City playgrounds, where he routinely dueled (and beat) some of the best talents in the world. On his pro resume: five All-Star games, one ABA championship and MVP award, three first-team appearances combined, one scoring title and a five-year peak of over 20 points per game.

Name: When a player this good has the nickname “The Hawk”, there is ZERO debate about whether a shoe named after him would have sold well. Logos, casual conversation (“did you see the new Hawks?”)…Connie Hawkins was made for the post-1980s shoe market.

Imagery: Hawkins is considered the godfather of iconic aerial antics in basketball. Julius Erving makes it a point to pay homage to his high-flying predecessor anytime someone tries to credit Dr. J for pioneering the dunk age of the NBA. Simply put, Hawkins could do things in the air with a basketball we simply don’t see anymore. His game fit perfectly with his nickname.

Had shoes/technology/marketing been 20 years further along in 1964, it might have been Hawkins taking basketball shoes to a whole new stratosphere. He had the whole package in terms of shoe marketability.

Talent: Six-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, six seasons averaging at least 20 points per game and a career-shooting percentage of 51.1 percent despite playing a perimeter position (guard). Oh yeah, and he made the cover of Sports Illustrated in his rookie season. He was good.

Name: Because his jump shoot was so smooth, Davis earned the nickname “Sweet D” right away. It’s simple, but awesome, the kind of nickname creativity we just don’t see nowadays. You can’t tell me a pair of Sweet D’s wouldn’t sell (Sweet D6, for his jersey number, if you like that better).

Image: Again, Davis’ jump shot defined his career. Ask anyone who played with or against him, and they’ll struggle to do justice to the beauty of his form and the result thereof. It’d be easy enough to design a silhouette of a perfect jump shot next to the name of his shoe, then market the crap out of it. "Buy these shoes and you'll shoot just like Sweet D."

Talent: Despite living in one of the best rugged forward/center ages of the NBA, Robinson thrived as a double-double machine. Phoenix traded for him the year after he led the league in rebounds, one of six seasons in which he averaged at least 9.4 boards per contest.

Name: It’s hard to beat “Truck”, especially if you’re a big man. The fact that he earned that in an era that included Artis Gilmore, Elvin Hayes and Moses Malone is nothing short of extraordinary. Again, we’re going back to our hypothetical discussion. “Have you seen the new Trucks?” This also lends a helping hand to designers, who would go out of their way to make a shoe that just looks solid or imposing.

Image: Truck’s damage came down low, in dirt-work fashion. Shoes are normally named after smaller players or high-flyers, but we feel the combination of his success and stellar nickname would give aspiring big men a shoe of their own. Let’s face it: post players are woefully underrepresented in the shoe game. Truck would have helped fix that.

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Old-Time Suns Who Deserved New-Age Shoe Deals

With the present Suns’ players enjoying their offseason, Suns.com decided the summer time is a great chance to catch up with former players and staff for a weekly #SunsThrowback edition of Phoenix basketball history. How does it work? Basically we get their memories going just enough to do what they do best: tell us their most memorable stories from their playing days.

This week's guest is former Suns All-Star and Ring of Honor member Walter Davis, who talks about how he honed his jump shot as a kid, the ABA influence in North Carolina, and why his game flourished after college.

On how he honed his game as a kid in North Carolina…

In the summertime growing up and being involved with basketball, I’d get up and practice by myself for three hours. I’d pick on thing to work on: shooting, dribbling, conditioning, something to work on by myself for three hours. Then I’d go home, rest, have lunch and then in the afternoon probably around 5:00 or 5:30, we’d play pickup games at the park for another three hours. That was a typical day for me in the summertime.

Right across the street from my home was a high school, which later on, because of bussing, became an elementary school. They had outdoor courts, four baskets, four courts outdoors. That’s where I’d go to work on my shooting and conditioning and dribbling on all that stuff.

I went to one basketball camp when I was 12 years old. Dolph Schayes, who played in the NBA a long time ago –his son Danny Schayes, eventually we were teammates with the Nuggets – he did the shooting camp. It was Campbell College in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Dolph Schayes did the shooting clinic. I just remembered some of the tips he gave that day. After that week I went home and started practicing them[1].

On the impressions made by University of North Carolina and UNC star Charlie Scott…

It was never a question where I was going to go to school. I loved the Carolina blue. When I first saw Carolina play, they were playing hard. They played together. They were playing unselfishly. That’s the kind of team ball I loved to play. After I saw them on TV for the first time, I set that as a goal that I wanted to get a scholarship and play there.

[The UNC teams I watched] were  the Charlie Scott teams[2]. he was a swingman also. H ecould play two or three. He was very quick. He had a nice outside shot. He could take it to the basket. He was quick on defense, had good hands, good savvy.

On the early and local influence of the ABA and NBA…

We had a team there in Charlotte: the Carolina Cougars. They would play games in Charlotte. They would play some games in Greensborough and they would play some games in Raleigh. That was a big influence to go watch those guys play, watching North Carolina, watching the University of Davidson that was right there outside of Charlotte. We’d go to the Charlotte Coliseum and see those games live or watch them on TV. It was a big influence to watch those players and then go outside and emulate what they did out there on the court.

[The Virginia Squires] were popular. Charlie Scott[3] was actually the reason I went to the game because he was on Virginia’s team. Everybody left the arena talking about Julius Erving, this rookie.

[I looked up to] Dr. J, of course. I saw him for his rookie year with the Virginia Squires. I saw him play when they’d play the Carolina Cougars. I never saw an NBA game live, but on TV I’d watch Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell go at it. Bill Russell was one of my idols. I loved watching Jerry West and Oscar Roberston, two guys that I looked up to.

On his run with UNC to the 1977 national championship game…

We won 14 straight games until we lost that championship game. We did it without our center, Tom LaGarde who had just had a wonderful game against Maryland. Then the next day in practice, just a drill, not contact, no defense, just making a move tore his ACL. We were very worried after losing Tommy because he was having such a great year[4]. I still think if we had him we could’ve won that final game.

I played with a broken index finger. That happened in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. Phil Ford[5] had a hyper-extended elbow in the Eastern Regionals against Notre Dame. We had to play through that. It was a lot of tough games, a lot of close games, but somehow, someway we pulled them out until that last game [against Marquette].

It’s totally different than what it is today. When I got drafted I was at my apartment just waiting. My agent just said ‘wait there by the phone to see who picks you.’ I remember getting the phone call. The Phoenix Suns picked me with the fifth pick in that 1977 draft. They told me who went before. Kent Benson went first, I think. Either Otis Birdsong or Marques Johnson went second and third. Then Greg Ballard went fourth to the Bullets. I went fifth to the Phoenix Suns.

That was the day right there, just sitting by the phone waiting to see who would pick me.

On his knowledge of the Phoenix Suns before playing there…

I knew Charlie Scott had played there. I knew Connie Hawkins was an all-star and had played there, ‘cause I watched All-Star games. But that was pretty much it. I didn’t know anybody on the team. I knew the coaches because coach [John] McLeod and Al Bianchi came down to Carolina to watch film of me and they wanted to meet me, personally. I remember coming down to the basketball office and them introducing themselves to me. That was pretty much all I knew.

On his rookie year and why it was so successful…

It was awesome. Our team that first year in Phoenix, we got Don Buse for Ricky Sobers. Alvan Adams was a great passer and Gar Heard…it was just like playing college ball. We liked to run. Everybody was unselfish and loved to pass, got along really good. Rodney Lee was there, the Kamikaze Kid. It was a fun, fun first year. I adjusted really quick to the pro game because of Coach McLeod and the guys I played with.

At Carolina, it’s a totally different game that we played. You’d have to make five passes to move the defense before a shot was about to go up. Only one guy on our team could make a move to get his own shot. We had to play unselfish, set picks and through our offense get an open shot. That’s the way it was in college.

In the pro game, a longer game, wide-open, 24-second clock, shots come up quickly. Coach said ‘if you can make a move, get your own shot. We’re going to run plays for you. We’re going to fast break.’ A lot of times I got open shots just running the floor and being in great shape[6].

On Alvan Adams the player and Alvan Adams the person…

Alvan was an outside post man. He could run. He could pass. He’d hit that 17-foot shot. He was a great player for me to pass with. All I had to do was run that play and move without the ball and Alvan would find [me].

We were roommates for a while, there. He had rules. When it was naptime, he wanted the room completely dark. Hold all the calls, no phone calls. He would get the tape we would use to tape our ankles and tape the curtains in the room really, really tight so no light would come through. I think of naptime for Alvan from 1:30, 2:30 to 4. No TV or nothing.

On playing with Suns All-Star Larry Nance…

The first time I heard about him, he played at Clemson. That’s in the ACC. Of course, my guys at North Carolina and the coaches would talk about this guy that could just jump out of the gym. He’s already 6-10, 6-11 and still had hops.

When we drafted Larry and he came here, everything they said about him was true. He had great hops. Good guy and just improved every year that he was with us. Great teammate.

On the best defenders he faced…           

Michael Cooper from the Lakers was tough defensively. T.R. Dunn was tough defensively.

Michael Jordan played great defense. His quickness, his length, his athletic ability, all those. That and he was taught defense by Dean Smith, so he had sound principles on the defensive end. To beat Michael, you really have to have help from your teammates. You’ve got to give a lot of fakes, you’ve got to get picks. You’ve got to get that pass right on the split money.

On the present-day players he likes to watch…

There’s a couple. I like Kobe Bryant. I like watching him play. He’s a throwback. I love watching Kevin Durant play. I like watching LeBron James. I like watching Dwyane Wade. He’s kind of slowed down a little bit from all the injuries and wear-and-tear, but I would pick those guys as far as my favorite guys to watch today.

[Bryant] has the outside shot, he has the mid-range shot, he could take it to the basket. He played good defense. To me, I can’t speak for everybody else, I like watching guys who can do everything, who are all-around players.

[1] The irony here is that Schayes played 15 years in the NBA and shot above 40 percent from the field in just one season. In his own 15 years in the league, Davis never shot below 45 percent and hit better than 50 percent in eight different seasons.

[2] Davis ended up following Scott’s footsteps in two places: North Carolina and Phoenix. Scott was a four-time All-Star for the Suns from 1972-75.

[3] Scott was nearly unstoppable in his ABA days. He averaged 27.1 points, 5.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game on his way to the ABA Rookie of the Year award and the All-ABA First Team in 1970-71. He followed by putting up 34.6 points per contest the following season before coming over to the NBA and the Suns.

[4] LaGarde was third on the team in points (15.1ppg), first in rebounds (7.4rpg ) and second in field goal percentage (59.3).

[5] Ford led UNC in scoring that season with 18.7 points per game.

[6] Davis was named the Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 1977-78. His numbers: 24.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 52.6 FG% 

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Suns Throwback: Walter Davis

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