NBA: The 25 worst players to ever win Rookie of the Year

NBA: The 25 worst players to ever win Rookie of the Year: 25. Walter Davis

If this top-25 list was compiled by residents of Phoenix, Arizona, it’s probable that Walter Davis avoids it altogether. The 6’6″ wing was drafted by the Suns fifth overall in the 1977 NBA Draft, and he would play 11 seasons with the Suns all together before traveling around the Western Conference at the tail end of his career.

Davis had a great career overall, even if it lacks the high-end distinction to make it off of this list. He played 15 seasons and made six All-Star teams. That included four-straight to start his career, which started with a bang right out of the gate. The man known as “Sweet D” for his soft touch around the basket averaged 24.2 points per game as a rookie, a number that would prove to be a career-high.

The former University of North Carolina Tar Heel never faded into a bad player, but he did start at his peak and slowly glide down from there. He made two All-NBA teams in his first two seasons and never again; he finished top-10 in PER, as an example metric, over each of his first three seasons, but then never higher than 18th after that.

Davis was a worthy Rookie of the Year winner, although fellow rookie Marques Johnson totaled more win shares that season. Behind them in voting, future Hall of Famers Bernard King and Jack Sikma had slower starts but would eventually compile more impressive careers. Davis was a really good basketball player and sets the bar high to make it off this list.