Phoenix basketball stars Walter Davis, Michele Timms inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame

The late, great Walter Davis was inducted Sunday into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame at Springfield, Mass.

The six-time NBA All-Star guard remains the Phoenix Suns ’ all-time leading scorer with 15,666 points in 11 seasons with the franchise. He averaged 20.6 points on 52% shooting for the Suns.

Joining Davis as a standout with Phoenix ties was Mercury Ring of Honor member Michele Timms, who was part of the first Mercury team in 1997.

Davis was honored by multiple Hall of Famers in the tribute.

"He was as smooth a player as you would find," former Suns team owner Jerry Colangelo said in a Davis' tribute video at the enshrinement ceremony. "He was lightning quick. He had a great jump shot. One of the purest shooters that I think has ever graced the courts."

Davis' daughters, Jordan Davis and Hillary Davis Laird, took the stage at the ceremony along with Colangelo (2004), who was one of five presenters along with David Thompson (1996), Bob McAdoo (2000), Roy Williams (2007) and Charlie Scott (2018).

"On behalf of our father, Walter Davis, we would like to say thank you for this incredible honor," Jordan Davis said on her father's tribute video. "We all wish he could be here for his enshrinement into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Our father was always so humble, on and off the court, but I know he's saying to himself, they finally recognized Big Poppa. We couldn't be more proud and grateful for this moment."

His daughters wiped away tears as the crowd gave a standing ovation. Davis passed away Nov. 2, 2023, at age 69.

"What I remember most about my dad's career was waiting for him after games and thinking how cool it was that he would always stop and talk to his fans and sign autographs," Hillary Davis Laird said on the tribute video.

The enshrinement ceremony was originally scheduled Aug. 16-17, but it changed dates largely due to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Team USA captured Olympic gold for men's and women's basketball.

Davis won 1977-78 NBA Rookie of the Year after being the fifth overall pick in the 1977 draft out of North Carolina. He finished fifth in the MVP voting that season as he averaged a career-high 24.2 points and six rebounds.

Phoenix reached the Western Conference finals in 1979 and 1984 with Davis leading the way.

A member of the Suns Ring of Honor, Davis also played for the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers.

"A player who is not only skilled, but made other players better," said Hall of Famer Julius Erving (1993) about Davis in the tribute video. "He was poetry in motion."

Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups headlined the 13-member 2024 class that includes Seimone Augustus, Dick Barnett, Doug Collins, Michael Cooper, Harley Redin, Bo Ryan, Herb Simon, Charles Smith, Michele Timms, Jerry West (as an executive) and Davis.

Carter played one season for the Suns in 2010-11.

West, who passed away June 12 at the age of 86, is the first person inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame three times. He was inducted in 1980 as a player and in 2010 as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team.

Timms, 59, is more accomplished as an international player but ranks among the Mercury all-time top five in assists and steals.

"I dedicate this honor with a big smile and a warm heart to my Phoenix Suns family," Timms said. "... Thank you so much for taking a gamble on a bleach blonde kid from Australia to lead your team. I don't know what you think about it (looking into the crowd), but anyway, I thought it was a good decision."

Teresa Edwards (2011) presented Timms. Presenters must be in the Hall of Fame to be selected for that responsibility.

"Thank you to the Naismith Hall of Fame for opening your arms and inviting a little kid from Down Under into your family," said Timms, who is from Melbourne, Australia. "Thank you."

Playing five seasons (1997-2001) for the Mercury, Timms is fourth in franchise history in assists and fifth in steals. She averaged 7.5 points, 4.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 116 games.

"She was a perfect fit for a new franchise in the WNBA," Colangelo said in Timms' video intro during the enshrinement ceremony."

The Mercury reached the playoffs in Timms’ first four seasons, reaching the 1998 finals.

"To have that experienced point guard and leader, and the vision that she had was fantastic for us," said 1994 Hall of Fame inductee Cheryl Miller, who coached the Mercury, in Timms' video intro.

Timms was selected to play in WNBA’s first All-Star game in 1999. As a rookie, she set franchise records for total steals in a season (71) and steals per game in a season (2.6), two marks that still stand.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin .

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix basketball stars Walter Davis, Michele Timms inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame