Phoenix Suns Information

The Phoenix Suns are burning through the season with non-stop action. As one of five teams in the Pacific Division of the National Basketball Association, the Phoenix Suns came to the Valley of the Sun in 1968. The team has had many memorable magical basketballs moments in their home, the American West Arena. You better get in line to get those Phoenix Sun tickets today.

One historical figure of the Phoenix Suns' history was head coach, Cotton Fitzsimmons. He coached the club three times and was responsible for trading Kevin Johnson, ending a black era of drug scandal. Under Fitzsimmons's leadership, the team became the strongest, most consistently winning team Arizona had ever known. Beyond being a great coach, he was also a great person. Ask any body who knew him, relatives, friends and former players, they will rely story after story about a man who was compassionate and a master of interpersonal relationships. No only did he care about a player's stats, he wanted to know how their lives were off the court. He continued relationships with everybody he knew until the day he died. One thing that made Fitzsimmons so great dealing with people was because he was an original, often imitative never duplicated. Whether he was chattering to the sportswriters, talking up the referees courtside, or coaching his players, Fitzsimmons' chatter made him one of the NBA's best-known characters. He used his gift as a great communicator to help his players reach their greatest potential. He was a huge advocate of education, teaching as well as coaching, junior college and universities in the 1960s. Fitzsimmons, along with his wife Joann, created a family atmosphere among the players. Pranks, jokes and parties were all part of a day as a player on the Phoenix Suns.

His NBA coaching career began in 1970 and lasted 21 years. Cotton compiled a record of 832-775 (.518), finishing his career sixth on the NBA all-time victory list. He is tied for 10th on the chart along with Phil Jackson (832-316) behind Jack Ramsay (864-783), Jerry Sloan (917-561), Larry Brown (933-713), Dick Motta (935-1,017), Red Auerbach (938-479), Bill Fitch (944-1,106), Pat Riley (1,110-569), Don Nelson (1,148-858) and Lenny Wilkens (1,315-1,133). In eight seasons as head coach of the Suns (1970-72, 1988-92, 1996), Cotton registered an overall record of 341-208 (.621), the second-highest winning percentage of any coach in team history.

Unfortunately, on July 24, 2004, Phoenix Suns icon Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons passed away at the age of 72 due to complications of lung cancer. For eight days before his death, Fitzsimmons friends came in a constant stream to say good-bye. Then on March 18, 2005 the Phoenix Suns honored the legendary coach, as he became the 11th inductee into the Suns' prestigious Ring of Honor. Buy Phoenix Suns tickets.