As a standout college player at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was selected to play on the USA men's basketball team coached by UNC's Dean Smith that won the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

In his freshman year, Davis hit a buzzer-beating jump shot against Duke at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.

On February 25, 1983, Davis set an all-time NBA record when he successfully scored his first 34 points before finally missing a shot.

He made his first 15 field goals and converted four straight free throws before missing a jumper with 55 seconds left in the game.

[4] The following year, during the 1984 NBA Playoffs, Davis led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 24.9 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.7 rebounds through 17 games, before Phoenix was eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Suns broadcaster Al McCoy created many alternate nicknames for him, including "The Candyman", "Sweet D" and "The Man with the Velvet Touch."

Davis signed a two-year, $1.35 million deal with the Denver Nuggets as an unrestricted free agent.

He ended up playing for two years beyond this contract, and was included in a three-team trade in early 1991 that sent him to the Portland Trail Blazers for half a season.