(Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
NBA Hall of Famer Paul Westphal died at the age of 70 Saturday.
Westphal had been diagnosed with brain cancer in August 2020. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball of Fame in September 2019.
"Westy will forever be remembered as a prominent Valley sports legend both on and off the court," Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said in a statement. "He built an illustrious career as both a player and a coach. His legacy ranks among the most quintessential basketball icons of all time."
Westphal was selected in the first round of the 1972 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics but was traded to the Phoenix Suns after winning a NBA title in 1974. On the Suns, he led the team to its first ever NBA finals appearance in 1976.
In his five seasons with the Suns, he made the All-Star team every year and averaged over 20 points a game each season. He also played for the New York Knicks and Seattle SuperSonics.
Westphal coached after he retired from playing 1984, serving as the head coach for the Suns, SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings. He finished with a 318-279 record overall and served as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets in 2016.
"There may be just a handful of people who have as much influence and significance on the history of the Phoenix Suns," former owner of the Phoenix Suns Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. "All he accomplished as a player and as a coach. Off the court, he was a gentleman, a family man, great moral character."