Legendary Sun and Ring of Honor member Walter Davis passes away at age 69

Sweet D. The Greyhound. The Man with the Velvet Touch.

Walter Davis, who was drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 5th overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft and played in Phoenix from 1977 to 1988, has passed away at age 69. Davis died on Thursday morning of natural causes while visiting family in Charlotte, per the University of North Carolina.

The 6’6” smooth shooting guard was one of the first true scorers to ever dawn the purple and orange. After a career playing for Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina where he earned All-ACC honors in 1976 and 1977, Davis was drafted by Phoenix. He won the 1978 Rookie of the Year and would be a six-time All-Star in 11 seasons with the Suns.

Walter Davis possessed one of the sweetest shots in the game and was a prolific scorer throughout his career. Michael Jordan’s favorite player growing up, Davis retired as the 18th leading scorer in NBA history. Davis remains the franchise leader in points scored with 15,666 and is second in total games played at 766.

Last week the Suns honored Davis as they unveiled their reimagined Ring of Honor during the team’s home opener. Davis was present for the ceremony in which his number 6 was unveiled in the rafters.