Walter Davis provided Chapel Hill kid with magical memory

By R.L. Bynum

When I was a kid growing up in Chapel Hill, Carolina never won a national championship, but there were thrilling moments at Carmichael Auditorium.

One of the games I’ll always cherish came on March 2, 1974, when Walter “Sweet D” Davis, who died Thursday morning in Charlotte at 69, provided a memory for a lifetime.

My parents worked for the university, so we got season tickets for years. But our seats were halfway up the upper arena behind the north baseline, and seeing everything from there was a challenge because I was short.

For this game, the regular-season finale against Duke, I moved down and sat on the front-row aisle behind the south baseline next to Lillian Lee, the wife of former Chapel Hill mayor Howard Lee. We knew each other since we both attended Binkley Baptist Church (along with Coach Dean Smith.)

I can still remember when that rally from eight points down with 17 seconds started. We looked at each other a few times and said, “we have a chance,” even though we probably both didn’t think it would happen.

Mitch Kupchak was right in front of me as — in the words of legendary former Voice of the Tar Heels Woody Durham — he “threw the long frontcourt pass.” Davis took the pass at midcourt and, after a few dribbles, threw up the 25-foot shot that, amazingly, went in even though he banked it.

Woody said it best in his call: “Unbelievable!”

I was one of several kids who immediately ran out onto the court and patted Davis on the back in a magical moment. I’m the kid with the yellow Adidas shirt and blue jeans in the below blurry screenshot from a video.

You know you’re getting old when the players who grew up idolizing you are passing away. Davis was second only to Phil Ford as my favorite player as a kid, along with many favorites, including George Karl. His smooth jump shot, quickness and savviness on the court were amazing.

I was frustrated that Davis and Ford couldn’t beat Marquette in the NCAA championship game in 1977, which would have been a fitting finish to Davis’ college career.

But the memories of that March day in Carmichael, and Davis’ sensational career, will live on forever.