Devin Booker only speaks in reverence about Walter Davis.
“Big Poppa. It’s Smooth Operator. A legend, rest in peace,” Booker said after the Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
Booker’s brevity spoke volumes regarding his thoughts about the Phoenix Suns‘ all-time leading scorer and late Hall of Famer. Booker’s first field goal against the Spurs matched Davis as the only two Suns players to ever reach 15,000 career points entirely scored in a Phoenix uniform.
The 10-year veteran Booker finished with 29 points, putting him at just 639 away from Davis’s franchise record of 15,666.
Booker prides himself on being a historian. He’s known to drive muscle cars, collect items and occasionally wear fashion relics from decades ago. So Booker’s continued response about being influenced by one of the Phoenix Suns’ earliest stars in Davis, and his impact on the city and the NBA sounded natural.
“Yeah, I’ve done my research, watched all the highlights, so to even be close to what he’s done for this franchise, it’s just a crazy situation to be in,” Booker said. “But we have to continue to honor him, live through him, show appreciation for the ones that came before us and laid the groundwork for us.”
Davis was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in October. He was drafted by Phoenix out of North Carolina in 1977 and played the first 11 of his 15-year career in the Valley. Davis was a six-time All-Star during his tenure in Phoenix and averaged 20.6 points on 52% shooting.
Michael Jordan said during his 2009 Hall of Fame induction speech that he grew up as an “NC State guy” because of his childhood idol and fellow Hall of Famer David Thompson. But Jordan once cited Davis among his inspirations, and Jordan rose to fame at NC State’s in-state rival UNC five years after Davis entered the league.
Davis’s peers and fans nicknamed Davis “Sweet D” for his fluid jumpshot form and “The Greyhound” for his fast-paced transition scoring. Booker’s and Davis’s height and position as 6-6 shooting guards, offensive styles, and defensive intensity were similar.
Davis didn’t attend the revamped Suns Ring of Honor ceremony on Oct. 29, 2023, where his No. 6 jersey was honored again in the Footprint Center rafters. Four days later, he passed away from natural causes at age 69 in Charlotte.
Booker spoke about his seldom interactions with Davis at former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo’s annual Golf Classic in Phoenix, which draws numerous Hall of Famers.
“We would just talk in passing,” Booker said. “Seen him at Colangelo’s event once before or two, but the respect is always there. I’ve always showed love to the legends. I always keep that a big part of everything I do in every aspect of life. I try to do it through my (Nike Book 1) shoes, just continue to tell stories because I’m a historian in a way. I understand how important it is for the people that laid the foundation for us.”
