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Player profile · DEN / PHO / POR
Walter Davis
Walter Davis stats, teams and career impact
#139 all-timeCareer averages · 18.9 PPG · 3.0 RPG · 3.8 APGPeak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
- Position
- Shooting guard
- Final NBA team
- Denver Nuggets
- Height / weight
- 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) · 193 lb (88 kg)
- Born
- September 9, 1954
- Died
- November 2, 2023 (69 yrs old)
- College
- UNC
- NBA seasons
- 15 seasons · 1977–78 to 1991–92
Career summaryWalter Davis was a shooting guard who played 15 NBA seasons, from 1977–78 through 1991–92.
- Career PPG
- 18.9
- Career RPG
- 3.0
- Career APG
- 3.8
- #4 in 1978–79
- #139 all-time
Best-Season Impact Rank
Career Impact Rank
Peak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
Career overview
Why Walter Davis ranks #139 all time
Walter Davis ranks #139 all time. Across his three best seasons, his average league finish was #10.3. His full-career value ranks #137 across 15 seasons. Career Impact Rank averages his best three, five, and ten season ranks, with the most weight on his peak.
2 top-ten finishes
1,033 games · Career Value Rank #137
NBA honors6× All-Star · 2× All-NBA · ROYContext only; honors are not model inputs.
Head to head
Compare Walter Davis with…
Suggested matchups from basketball rivalries, comparable roles, and similar careers. Compare career impact, peak seasons, and the numbers behind the result.
- Walter Davis vs. George Gervin Scoring wings of the 1980s
- Walter Davis vs. Marques Johnson Scoring wings of the 1980s
- Walter Davis vs. Adrian Dantley Scoring wings of the 1980s
- Walter Davis vs. Alex English Scoring wings of the 1980s
- Walter Davis vs. Kenny Anderson Similar career path
- Walter Davis vs. Derek Harper Similar career path
- Walter Davis vs. Maurice Cheeks Similar career path
- Walter Davis vs. Sam Cassell Similar career path
- Walter Davis vs. Jeff Hornacek Similar career path
- Walter Davis vs. Mitch Richmond Similar career path
Full player detailsTeam history, career shooting and sources
Full team history
- Teams
- Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers
Career shooting
NBA regular season- Field goal
- 51.1%FG%
- Three-point
- 27.2%3P%
- Free throw
- 85.1%FT%
1,033 career games · 28,859 minutes
Sources and updateConventional stats and measurements: Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 13, 2026. hussEyquation ranking data through 2025–26. Life dates: Wikidata; conflicting dates checked against Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 17, 2026.
Traditional box score
Walter Davis stats by season
Start with scoring and impact, then switch views for shooting or the full advanced picture. Career percentages use total makes and attempts.
Swipe for PPG · RPG · APG · Impact · Team · G · GS · MPG →
| 1991–92 | 9.9 | 1.5 | 1.5 | +0.37 | DEN | 46 | 0 | 16.1 | 45.9% | 31.3% | 87.2% | #102 | 36.1 |
| 1990–91 | 13.0 | 2.5 | 1.8 | -0.46 | DEN/POR | 71 | 14 | 20.9 | 46.8% | 30.6% | 91.5% | #135 | 52.1 |
| 1989–90 | 17.5 | 2.6 | 2.2 | +1.35 | DEN | 69 | 0 | 23.7 | 48.1% | 13.0% | 91.2% | #58 | 120.4 |
| 1988–89 | 15.6 | 1.9 | 2.3 | +0.15 | DEN | 81 | 0 | 22.9 | 49.8% | 29.0% | 87.9% | #91 | 89.3 |
| 1987–88 | 17.9 | 2.3 | 4.1 | +0.89 | PHO | 68 | 48 | 28.7 | 47.3% | 37.5% | 88.7% | #62 | 118.9 |
| 1986–87 | 23.6 | 3.1 | 4.6 | +1.19 | PHO | 79 | 79 | 33.5 | 51.4% | 25.9% | 86.2% | #48 | 179.4 |
| 1985–86 | 21.8 | 2.9 | 5.2 | +0.44 | PHO | 70 | 62 | 32.0 | 48.5% | 23.7% | 84.3% | #84 | 119.1 |
| 1984–85 | 15.0 | 1.5 | 4.3 | -1.72 | PHO | 23 | 9 | 24.8 | 45.0% | 30.0% | 87.7% | #171 | 3.4 |
| 1983–84 | 20.0 | 2.6 | 5.5 | +0.94 | PHO | 78 | 70 | 32.6 | 51.2% | 23.0% | 86.3% | #61 | 158.1 |
| 1982–83 | 19.0 | 2.5 | 5.0 | +2.43 | PHO | 80 | 79 | 31.1 | 51.6% | 30.4% | 81.8% | #27 | 233.5 |
| 1981–82 | 14.4 | 1.9 | 2.9 | +1.22 | PHO | 55 | 12 | 21.5 | 52.3% | 18.8% | 82.0% | #52 | 78.9 |
| 1980–81 | 18.0 | 2.6 | 3.9 | +2.05 | PHO | 78 | 0 | 28.0 | 53.9% | 41.2% | 83.6% | #35 | 192.6 |
| 1979–80 | 21.5 | 3.6 | 4.5 | +3.40 | PHO | 75 | 0 | 30.8 | 56.3% | 0.0% | 81.9% | #17 | 272.5 |
| 1978–79 | 23.6 | 4.7 | 4.3 | +4.32 | PHO | 79 | 0 | 30.8 | 56.1% | — | 83.1% | #4 | 347.9 |
| 1977–78 | 24.2 | 6.0 | 3.4 | +3.99 | PHO | 81 | 0 | 32.0 | 52.6% | — | 83.0% | #10 | 359.8 |
| Career | 18.9 | 3.0 | 3.8 | — | DEN/PHO/POR | 1033 | — | 27.9 | 51.1% | 27.2% | 85.1% | — | — |
Source: Basketball Reference regular-season totals, accessed Sep 13, 2026.
Film evidence
Walter Davis highlights
Watch the selected footage or film analysis, then use the season record and impact data to put what happened on the floor in context.
Career highlights
Walter Davis's best career plays
Walter Davis's career highlights adds visual context to the numbers on this page, especially his smooth jumper, transition scoring and efficient perimeter offense. The vetted footage complements the season tables and impact model.
What these measures mean
- Era-centered box impact
- Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average.
- Impact Rate Rank
- The player's place among qualified players in one season.
- Value contribution / Season Value
- Completed seasons use a fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. The live season instead uses Season Value, combining that season's impact with workload.
- Career Impact Rank
- An all-time rank weighted toward the player's best three, five, and ten seasons.
18.2 composite · lower is better
18.6 average league finish
2,362 total value
Career standing
How Walter Davis ranks all time
These are league placements, not raw scores. Each season is judged against that season's qualified player pool.
Best in the league
Elite finishes
Upper-tier finishes
Tie-breaker across top-ten seasons
Career Composite Score18.2
Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes receive 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights. Missing seasons receive a replacement finish just below the player's typical qualified field. Lower is better.
- Best 3 effective weight
- 74%
- Missing-season finish
- 255.0
- Qualified seasons
- 15
- All-time rank
- #139
Strongest seasons
Every season
Walter Davis advanced stats by season
Era-centered box impact supports comparisons through time. Impact Rate and its rank compare players only within that season.
More advanced statsAge, minutes, impact, rank, value and data coverage
Scroll for more columns
| 1991–92Historical Defense Estimate | DEN | 37 | 46 | 741 | +0.37 | 65.1 | #102 | 36.1 | 52nd | Standard |
| 1990–91Historical Defense Estimate | DEN/POR | 36 | 71 | 1,483 | -0.46 | 54.0 | #135 | 52.1 | 53rd | Broad |
| 1989–90Historical Defense Estimate | DEN | 35 | 69 | 1,635 | +1.35 | 80.1 | #58 | 120.4 | 75th | Broad |
| 1988–89Historical Defense Estimate | DEN | 34 | 81 | 1,857 | +0.15 | 65.8 | #91 | 89.3 | 66th | Broad |
| 1987–88Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 33 | 68 | 1,951 | +0.89 | 75.6 | #62 | 118.9 | 76th | Broad |
| 1986–87Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 32 | 79 | 2,646 | +1.19 | 81.6 | #48 | 179.4 | 86th | Broad |
| 1985–86Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 31 | 70 | 2,239 | +0.44 | 67.3 | #84 | 119.1 | 72nd | Broad |
| 1984–85Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 30 | 23 | 570 | -1.72 | 32.8 | #171 | 3.4 | 30th | Standard |
| 1983–84Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 29 | 78 | 2,546 | +0.94 | 75.8 | #61 | 158.1 | 81st | Broad |
| 1982–83Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 28 | 80 | 2,491 | +2.43 | 89.7 | #27 | 233.5 | 89th | Broad |
| 1981–82Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 27 | 55 | 1,182 | +1.22 | 79.9 | #52 | 78.9 | 61st | Broad |
| 1980–81Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 26 | 78 | 2,182 | +2.05 | 86.3 | #35 | 192.6 | 86th | Broad |
| 1979–80Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 25 | 75 | 2,309 | +3.40 | 93.1 | #17 | 272.5 | 93rd | Broad |
| 1978–79Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 24 | 79 | 2,437 | +4.32 | 98.7 | #4 | 347.9 | 96th | Broad |
| 1977–78Historical Defense Estimate | PHO | 23 | 81 | 2,590 | +3.99 | 96.2 | #10 | 359.8 | 96th | Broad |
Career movement
Walter Davis's career impact by season
Peak +4.32 in 1978–79 · 15 seasons · 28,859 minutes
The same historical box-score model is used for every season, making the career shape comparable through time. The vertical scale adapts to this player's range and always includes zero.
Era-centered box impactMinutes
Player-specific impact scaleWorkload
Career comparison
Compare the shape, not the calendar
Align by NBA experience to compare season one with season one, or by age to compare players at the same stage of life.
Walter DavisKenny Anderson
| NBA season | Walter Davis | Kenny Anderson |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.0 | -1.0 |
| 2 | 4.3 | 1.5 |
| 3 | 3.4 | 2.7 |
| 4 | 2.0 | 3.4 |
| 5 | 1.2 | 4.3 |
| 6 | 2.4 | 3.7 |
| 7 | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| 8 | -1.7 | 0.6 |
| 9 | 0.4 | 1.9 |
| 10 | 1.2 | -1.2 |
| 11 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| 12 | 0.1 | -0.4 |
| 13 | 1.4 | -2.0 |
| 14 | -0.5 | -3.1 |
| 15 | 0.4 | Did not play |
NBA season number
Similar career arcs
Players with careers similar to Walter Davis
The career-similarity score compares era-centered box impact, peak, prime, workload, career length, position, and experience-aligned trajectory. It describes career shape, not playing style, equal ability, or probability.
PG · All-Time Career #257
Kenny Anderson
91career similarity score
87/100 closest-season score · 1978–79 ↔ 1995–96PG · All-Time Career #165Derek Harper
90career similarity score
87/100 closest-season score · 1978–79 ↔ 1986–87PG · All-Time Career #100Maurice Cheeks
90career similarity score
87/100 closest-season score · 1978–79 ↔ 1981–82Impact Rate shows how strong a player was compared with everyone else that season. Season Value adds how much he played; completed player-profile rows instead show each season's fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. Career Impact Rank rewards a high peak, a long prime, and repeated seasons near the top. Older seasons use clearly labeled estimates where the NBA did not record today's full set of statistics. Read how every ranking works →