6/16/2016 basketball Edit

No. 15: Walter Davis

"Sweet D" was one of the most consistent players in Carolina history, and usually was at his best in big games.

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

Name: Walter Davis

Position: Forward

Jersey #: 24

Years: 1973-77

Honors: 1st-team All-ACC in 1977; All-ACC in 1976; 1977 NCAA All-Tournament team; Jersey No. 24 is honored at the Smith Center.

Notable Stats: 10th all-time leading scorer at UNC with 1,863 points; Career scoring average of 15.7 points per game is the 23rd highest in UNC history; Averaged between 14.3 and 16.6 points per game in each of his four seasons at UNC; Grabbed 670 career rebounds and handed out 409 career assists; Averaged 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game over his career; Shot 53.1 percent from the field for his career; 9th most field goals made in a UNC career with 754; Started 115 games.

In Closing: Davis might be one of the most underrated players in ACC history now and when he played. His NBA career was filled with accolades and honors, but he was an afterthought too often at UNC. But Carolina fans will forever remember the 25-footer he hit at the buzzer versus Duke in 1974, sending the game in overtime the Heels eventually won. In the Heels’ 1977 run to the national title game, Davis scored 21 points versus Kentucky in the East Region finals, 19 in a win over UNLV in the Final Four, and 20 in the national title game loss to Marquette despite playing with a broken finger. “Sweet D” was a well-rounded player who came up big often when the Tar Heels needed it most.

Prior Ranked Heels

30 - Brice Johnson

29 - Ed Cota

28 - Pete Brennan

27 - Mike O'Koren

26 - John "Hook" Dillon

25 - J.R. Reid

24 - Bobby Jones

23 - Brad Daugherty

22 - Raymond Felton

21 - Jerry Stackhouse

20 - Sean May