NBA Suns playing and coaching icon Westphal dead at 70
Issued on: 2 min
Los Angeles (AFP)
Paul Westphal, who won an NBA title with Boston and became an icon over 14 seasons as a player and coach for the Phoenix Suns, has died. He was 70. Westy will not be immortalized for just playing basketball. He will be remembered for how he lived his life, and how he treated others, the Suns said in a statement.
Westphal was taken 10th overall by Boston in the 1972 NBA Draft and won an NBA crown with the Celtics in 1974 but became a star in Phoenix after being traded to the Suns in 1975.
Hall of Famer Paul Westphal dies at 70
Paul Westphal was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after an illustrious career as a player and coach.
Beth Harris | The Associated Press
January 2, 2021 8:41 PM In Memoriam: Paul Westphal
Paul Westphal, a Hall of Fame player who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and later coached in the league and in college, died Saturday. He was 70.
He died in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to a statement from Southern California, where Westphal starred in college. He was diagnosed with brain cancer last August.
A five-time All-Star guard, Westphal played in the NBA from 1972-84. After winning a championship with the Celtics, he made the finals in 1976 with Phoenix, where he was a key part of one of the most riveting games in league history. He also played for Seattle and the New York Knicks.
NBA Hall Of Famer Paul Westphal Has Reportedly Passed Away
Matt Hladik
Paul Westphal speaks at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Westphal has passed away at the age of 70 after a battle with brain cancer, according to multiple reports.
Westphal, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, was a first-round pick of the Boston Celtics out of USC in 1972. He went on to win a championship with the franchise in 1974.
Westphal would move on to play for the Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics and New York Knicks before retiring in 1984. During that time, he made five consecutive All-Star appearances from 1977-81 and and All-NBA first-team selection three times.
NBA Hall of Famer, Phoenix Suns legend Paul Westphal dies at age 70
By FOX 10 Staff article
CIRCA 1978: Paul Westphal #44 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Westphal played for the Suns from 1975-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty
Expand
PHOENIX - NBA Hall of Fame player and Suns icon Paul Westphal has died at the age of 70, the Phoenix Suns announced on Jan. 2.
Westphal, known as Westy, played for the Phoenix Suns from 1975 to 1980 and played a critical role for the team in the 1976 NBA Finals. He eventually rejoined the team as a coach from 1988 to 1995, spending a total of 14 seasons with the organization.
Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 1/2/21
Basketball legend Paul Westphal received tributes online after dying Saturday at the age of 70 due to brain cancer.
Westphal was an All-Star player and NBA champion during his playing career, and he was also a highly successful head coach. He played from 1972 to 1984 and won a title with the Boston Celtics in 1974. Westphal also played for the Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics and New York Knicks.
As a coach, Westphal began his career at Southwestern Baptist Bible College, then moved to Grand Canyon University, and he became an assistant with the Phoenix Suns. Westphal took over as head coach of the Suns in 1992 and led them to the NBA Finals in his first season. He also had stints coaching Seattle and Sacramento, in addition to Pepperdine in college.