Sad news today as it was announced that former Denver Nuggets forward and broadcaster Walter Davis passed away from natural causes. Davis played three seasons in Denver at the back end of his career and then was a member of the broadcast team in the early 90s. Probably best known for his Phoenix Suns tenure, Davis was a prolific scoring wing and knock down shooter out of North Carolina University who was rookie of the year in 1977-1978. He spent eleven season in Phoenix, accruing six all star selections, while averaging over twenty points a game. In 1988 he signed with the Nuggets.
Davis’ tenure in Denver was short, playing two and a half seasons before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for the pick that would eventually become Bryant Stith. Davis returned to Denver in 1992 to play one final season in the NBA before retiring and joining the Nuggets broadcast team. Though “The Greyhound” spent only a little part of his career in Denver and during a time when the team was about to go through a major transition, he is still beloved by Nuggets faithful. When the Nuggets were swept by Davis’ former team Phoenix in the first round of the ’89 playoffs, he was certainly not to blame as the #2 scorer next to Alex English dropping 25.7 points per game. He was beloved for more than his play on the court as well. Talk to anyone who had the chance to interact with Davis and they’ll tell you that for as good of a shooter as he was, he was an even better person. Though not as iconic as English or Fat Lever, Davis will always be remembered fondly for being part of those high scoring, extremely fun to watch 80s era Nuggets teams. RIP Greyhound, thanks for welcoming Denver into your heart and providing all the great memories.
