What was Walter Davis' cause of death? Looking at UNC Tar Heels legend's passing at 69

The University of North Carolina, on Thursday, announced that Walter Davis, the former Phoenix Suns player has passed away. According to the details provided, the 69-year-old died a natural death. Davis was nicknamed "Sweet D" for his hard defense and smooth offense.

The former All-Star player grew up in North Carolina and went on to play for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels under legendary coach Dean Smith. He was also a member of the 1976 Olympic Team which won a Gold medal in Montreal.

Davis was the number 5 pick overall in the 1977 Draft. He made an immediate impact on the Suns. While playing 81 games for the team, he averaged 24.2 points per game and made it to the All-Star game in the first four seasons of his career.

Davis’ career was jeopardized by lingering injuries like back problems, which substantially affected his athleticism.

Hw was known for his jump shot and was an efficient 3-point shotmaker. One of the reasons that Walter was highly sought after by other teams.

Sam Smith in his book, The Jordan Rules, noted that Michael Jordan frequently pressured the Chicago Bulls to pursue Davis. 21-year-old Jordan once said that Davis was the best player he had played against.

Walter Davis and his unmatched offensive skills

Walter Davis had a successful 15-year NBA career in which he played for 11 seasons with the Phoenix Suns. During his impressive career, the Suns’ Ring of Honor player averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.

He was mostly known for his offensive skills and is the Suns’ all-time scoring leader with 15,666 points, making it to the All-NBA Team twice in his career. The 6 time NBA All-Star was also the Rookie of the Year in 1978.

Davis' scoring abilities were so diverse and revered around the league, that it prompted him to be nicknamed “The Greyhound.” Suns broadcaster Al McCoy was so impressed by Davis’ smooth scoring abilities that he nicknamed him “The Candyman” and “The Man with the Velvet Touch.”

At the end of his career, the former player had a brief stint with the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets. After his basketball career, Davis tried his career in broadcasting. He became a broadcaster for the Denver Nuggets and also scouted for the Washington Wizards.

In honor of Davis, the Suns retired his No. 6 jersey in 1994.