Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central

A Fantastic Story
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Celebrating 43 Years of Suns Basketball ...
The Phoenix Suns have long been regarded as one of the most successful NBA franchises on and off
the court. Since entering the league in 1968, the Suns own a .561 (1914-1498) winning percentage,
the fourth-best mark all-time in the NBA (entering 2010-11). That record trails only the Los Angeles
Lakers (.619, 3027-1866), San Antonio Spurs (.600, 1653-1103) and Boston Celtics (.594, 2972-2031)
and includes appearances in the postseason in 29 of the team’s 42 seasons, and 19 of the past 22
seasons (since 1988-89). Phoenix has reached the NBA Finals twice (1976 and 1993).
On June 30, 2004, Robert Sarver, a banking and real estate executive, purchased the club from Jerry
Colangelo after Colangelo set into motion a plan to ensure the team’s legacy by seeking out a new
owner who shared his vision and commitment to both the game of basketball and community. In the
six seasons since Sarver, an Arizona native, took ownership of the Suns, Phoenix has won 50 or more
games five times and enjoyed the winningest four-year period in the franchise’s proud history from
2004-08 (232 victories). The span includes two 60-plus win seasons (franchise-record tying 62 in 2004-
05 and 61 in 2006-07) and three Pacific Division titles. Over the last six seasons, the Suns have complied
a 332-160 (.675) regular season record, which trails only the Dallas Mavericks (341-151, .693) and
San Antonio Spurs (340-152, .691) for the NBA’s best record in that stretch.
The Beginning Of A Franchise...
On January 22, 1968, the NBA Board of Governors
awarded a franchise to Phoenix. The new team’s
leadership came from owners Richard Bloch of Los
Angeles along with Donald Pitt and Donald Diamond of
Tucson. They brought together a group of investors that
included entertainers Henry Mancini, Tony Curtis, Ed
Ames, Andy Williams and Bobby Gentry.
Jerry Colangelo, former Illinois basketball star and
member of the Chicago Bulls’ organization, was selected
as the club’s first general manager at age 28. Colangelo
has been with the club since its inception. One of
Colangelo’s first moves was naming Johnny “Red” Kerr
as the franchise’s first head coach. The name “Suns” was
chosen through a contest (28,000 entries submitted).
Since several entries were marked “Suns,” a drawing was
held and Selinda King of Phoenix was selected as the
person who officially named the new franchise.
In the May 6, 1968 Expansion Draft, forward Dick Van
Dick Van Arsdale scores the first basket in Suns Arsdale, who was left unprotected by the New York
history on a feed from Dick Snyder as they Knicks, became “The Original Sun.” Van Arsdale scored
defeated Seattle 116-107 in the first regular 12,060 points as a Sun, and would later have his jersey
season game at the Coliseum.
(5) retired.
The Suns played their first game October 18, 1968, and defeated Seattle, 116-107, before 7,112
fans at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. However, Phoenix finished its first season at 16-66. In a coin
flip between the Eastern and Western Conference teams with the poorest records (Milwaukee and
Phoenix), the Suns called “heads” as the coin came up “tails.” Milwaukee claimed Lew Alcindor, later
known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and captured the NBA title two years later.
Success, however, came more quickly than skeptics first thought when the Suns won a second
coin flip and the rights to ABA star Connie Hawkins.
The Suns made the playoffs in their second season, battling the L.A. Lakers to the seven-game limit
in the conference semifinals. With the emergence of eventual four-time All-Star and NBA Hall of Famer
Hawkins, and the club’s impressive playoff performance, the Suns had arrived on the NBA map.
The Greatest Game Ever Played...
Things brightened when the 1975-76 club, headed by coach John MacLeod, Rookie of the Year
Alvan Adams and Paul Westphal, parlayed a 42-40 record and wild card playoff berth into the Western
Conference title and a trip to the NBA Finals against Boston. Game Five of that series has been