Al McCoy joins small group of non-players in Suns Ring of Honor
Mar 2, 2017, 2:40 PM | Updated: 3:33 pm
Suns play-by-play voice Al McCoy joined Dave Burns live in studio for the 620 Sportsline finale February 9, 2010. (Adam Green/KTAR)
(Adam Green/KTAR)
When Phoenix Suns radio broadcaster Al McCoy joins the franchise’s Ring of Honor, he’ll become one of a few inductees to never step on the court as a player.
McCoy, 83, will have his name hung in the rafters on Friday when the Suns host the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’ll become the 15th member of the ring and the fifth one who never played for the team. The list includes a former owner as well as two coaches and a trainer.
The most prominent name of the non-players is former coach, general manager and owner Jerry Colangelo. He joined the team as its first GM in 1968 and won four Executive of the Year awards. He later purchased the team for $44 million and owned it until 2004. The Suns inducted him in 2007.
Former head coach Lowell “Cotton” Fitzsimmons was the first full-time coach to join the Suns pantheon in 2005. He amassed a 341-208 record in three stints with the Suns, winning Coach of the Year in 1988-89 with a 55-27 record. He died of cancer in 2004.
The other coach to hang in the rafters is John MacLeod. He amassed 579 wins in Phoenix, the most by any coach in team history. With 707 career wins, he ranks 15th all-time for an NBA coach. MacLeod entered on April 18, 2012, joining five players who played under him.
However, the first non-player to join the Ring of Honor is also perhaps the least known. In 2001, the Suns added longtime trainer Joe Proski to the list. Proski followed Colangelo from Chicago in 1968 for the Suns’ first season and was the franchise’s only athletic trainer until 2000. Over his time with Phoenix, he watched 2,789 regular season games in person, missing two for the passing of his father.
McCoy surpasses all of them in time spent with the Suns. The Williams, Iowa native is in his 45th season broadcasting games for the team.
McCoy said on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that he did not find out he would be inducted until opening day of the season, and that he still does not know details about the ceremony. The Suns will give out McCoy bobble heads prior to the game on Friday.
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