“Hey, now you’re immortal,” said Paul Westphal, reporting what someone told him when they heard he would be nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame.
“No,” said Westphal during his inaugural address in September 2019, responding to the supporter, “immortality does not come from basketball.”
By taking a break to remember Westphal and sharing how sad we are about his death, we recognize how prophetically right he was.
“Westy” will not be immortalized by only play basketball. He will be remembered for how he lived his life and how he treated others.
The Phoenix Suns organization shares its thoughts and prayers with the Westphal family at this difficult time.
“Westy will forever be remembered as a prominent Valley sports legend, both on and off the court,” said Robert Sarver, managing partner at Suns. “He has built an illustrious career both as a player and as a coach. His legacy is among the most essential basketball icons of all time. “
Westphal left an indelible signature on the Phoenix Suns franchise with his All-NBA talent, his brilliant mind and his elite character. From guiding the team on the court in the 1976 NBA finals to leading them from the sidelines in the 1993 NBA finals, Westphal’s legacy in Phoenix has spanned decades and its overall impact on the organization is virtually unmatched.
“For the past 40 years, Westy has remained a great friend of the organization and a sounding board and a trusted confidant for me,” continued Sarver. “Your number 44 will forever have its place in our Ring of Honor, consecrated as one of the most deserving members.”
Born on November 30, 1950, Westphal was from Torrance, CA, and has spent 14 seasons with Suns as a player and coach.
The eventual basketball Hall of Fame known as “Westy” was acquired by Suns in an exchange with the Boston Celtics in 1975 and spent six seasons as a player with Phoenix. He finally found his way back to Vale a few years later, on the 1988-95 Suns technical team. Due to his incredible career and impact in the NBA, Westphal was consecrated at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 6, 2019.
“There may be only a handful of people who have so much influence and meaning in the history of the Phoenix Suns,” said Jerry Colangelo. “Everything he achieved as a player and as a coach. Outside the court, he was a gentleman, a family man, of great moral character. He represented the Suns in the way that you want each player to represent his franchise. “
Known for his high IQ in basketball, Westphal was instrumental in bringing the Suns to their first appearance in the NBA finals in 1976, against the Celtics. This series featured “The Greatest Game Ever Played” – a triple overtime thriller during which Westphal’s quick thinking helped put the Suns in a position to extend the game behind Garfield Heard’s famous “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” .
“He was cerebral in his game,” said Colangelo. “He was always thinking about stepping forward. Even the infamous Boston triple overtime game during the final series, when he said, ‘Call the timeout.’ – which forced a free throw, but gave us the ball in midfield and created the opportunity to tie the game, which we did. This is thinking about the moment in the moment. “
Westphal became five-time All-Star (four with the Suns) and won All-NBA recognition for four consecutive seasons, including three selections for the First Team. He is the eighth highest scorer in Suns history, totaling 9,564 points and an average of 20.6 points per game, and was introduced to the Suns Ring of Honor on April 15, 1989.
Westphal joined the coaching team after retiring and returned to Suns as an assistant in 1988. Once back in the organization, Westphal learned from Suns Ring of Honor colleague Cotton Fitzsimmons while putting his basketball intelligence in the background . Even as a technical assistant, Westphal proved his worth and earned credit for his player relationships and development skills, including 1989, Sixth Man of the Year, Eddie Johnson.
“He led by example,” said Johnson. “He hasn’t changed outside the court. It’s just a positive atmosphere that he exudes when he’s around. He always greets you with a pleasant smile. You always feel like you’re part of your clique. He’s someone we can put on a pedestal. “
Westphal spent four seasons in this role under Fitzsimmons before taking over as head coach in the 1992-93 season. His success came early and often, leading the Suns to the league’s best record and a trip back to the NBA finals in his first season at the helm. During his time as head coach in Phoenix, Westphal accumulated a 191-88 record, which ranks as the fourth highest number of wins for any coach in the team’s history, while his winning percentage of 0.685 is the best in coach history for the team. Suns.
“We had a personal relationship that spanned decades,” said Colangelo. “He played it for me. He trained for me. I have always had great respect for Paul and he added quality to my life just by being there. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to be associated with him. ”
Westphal left an eternal legacy for the Suns franchise and within the city of Phoenix. While his greatest achievements may have been in the Valley of the Sun, his final impact on basketball ranges from a young high school star in Southern California to a historic career as a player, coach and announcer.
Westphal studied at Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, California, where he was named California Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year in 1968 as a senior. He attended USC and received honors at the All-Pac 8 in all three seasons with the Trojans. USC retired Westphal’s jersey number 25 and he was nominated for the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.
Westphal was chosen 10th in the 1972 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, where he spent the first three years of his career, including the 1974 Celtics championship season. He was replaced by Phoenix for the future Charlie Scott Basketball Hall of Fame on May 23, 1975. He also left Suns in exchange for a future Basketball Hall of Fame, Dennis Johnson, on June 4, 1980.
He played one season with the Seattle SuperSonics and two seasons with the New York Knicks, winning the Knicks Comeback Player of the Year in 1982-83. He returned to Phoenix for the last season of his 12-year playing career in 1983-84.
Westphal started his coaching career in 1985 at Southwestern Baptist Bible College (now Arizona Christian University). After finishing the 3-20 season the previous year, he led them to a 21-9 record in his only season. He was then hired as head coach at Grand Canyon University, taking them to a record of 63-18 in his two seasons, including a 1988 NAIA National Championship.
In addition to four seasons as head coach of the Suns, Westphal spent three seasons as head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics, five seasons as head coach of Pepperdine University, one season as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks, three seasons as a head coach for the Sacramento Kings, and ended his coaching career with two seasons as a technical assistant to the Brooklyn Nets.
Westphal leaves his wife Cindy, his son Michael and his daughter Victoria.
Thank you, Paul. Rest in peace.
