Phoenix Suns facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phoenix Suns
Conference	Western
Division	Pacific
Founded	1968
History	Phoenix Suns 1968–present
Arena	Footprint Center
Location	Phoenix, Arizona
Team colors	Purple, orange, black, gray, yellow
Main sponsor	PayPal
President	James Jones
General manager	James Jones
Head coach	Mike Budenholzer
Ownership	Mat and Justin Ishbia
Affiliation(s)	Valley Suns
Championships	0
Conference titles	3 (1976, 1993, 2021)
Division titles	8 (1981, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2021, 2022)
Retired numbers	11 (5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 24, 31, 32, 33, 34, 42, 44)
Association Icon Statement

The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team from Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Suns are part of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. They are the only team in their division not located in California. The Suns play their home games at the Footprint Center.

The team started playing in 1968 as a new expansion team. At first, they had some tough seasons. But things got better in the 1970s with players like Dick Van Arsdale, Alvan Adams, and Paul Westphal. They even reached the 1976 NBA Finals, which was a big surprise! However, they didn't win the championship.

In the 1980s, the Suns rebuilt their team around Walter Davis. Later, they got Kevin Johnson in 1988. With Johnson, Charles Barkley, Tom Chambers, and Dan Majerle, the Suns made the playoffs for 13 years in a row. They were a top team in the 1990s and reached the 1993 NBA Finals. But again, they couldn't win the championship.

In 2004, Steve Nash returned to the Suns. With Nash, Shawn Marion, and Amar'e Stoudemire, the team became known for its fast and exciting offense. They tied a team record for wins in the 2004–05 season. They were a top team for a few more years but still didn't win an NBA championship.

After not making the playoffs for ten years, the Suns reached the 2021 NBA Finals. This happened after they added Chris Paul to a strong group of young players like Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges. In 2023, the Suns added more stars: Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

The Suns have one of the best winning percentages in NBA history. They have the second-highest winning percentage among teams that have never won an NBA championship. They have also reached the NBA Finals three times without winning. Many famous players have played for Phoenix. Two of them, Charles Barkley and Steve Nash, won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award while playing for the Suns. Their radio announcer, Al McCoy, has been with the team longer than any other broadcaster in NBA history.

Team History: Key Moments

Starting Out: 1968–1976

The Suns joined the NBA in the 1968–69 season along with the Milwaukee Bucks. They were the first major professional sports team in Phoenix. For their first 24 seasons, the Suns played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Many people thought Phoenix was too hot or too small for an NBA team. But the city was growing fast.

The team's name, "Suns," was chosen from 28,000 ideas in a contest. The first team logo was designed for only $200. In the 1968 NBA draft, the Suns picked future Hall of Famer Gail Goodrich and Dick Van Arsdale.

In 1968, Jerry Colangelo became the Suns first general manager at age 28.

Jerry Colangelo became the Suns' first general manager at just 28 years old. The team's first season ended with only 16 wins and 66 losses. Goodrich and Van Arsdale were both chosen for the All-Star Game in their first year.

The Suns finished last in their first season. This led to a coin flip with the Milwaukee Bucks for the first pick in the 1969 NBA draft. Milwaukee won and picked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Suns picked Neal Walk. The next season, 1969–70, the Suns improved to 39 wins and 43 losses. They made the playoffs but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

A very important person joined the Suns in 1972: Al McCoy, their play-by-play announcer. He became known as "the Voice of the Suns." He has called all three of the Suns' NBA Finals appearances.

Reaching the NBA Finals in 1976

The 1975–76 season was a big one for the Suns. They traded for Paul Westphal and drafted Alvan Adams. They also added Ricky Sobers and Garfield Heard.

The team had an up-and-down season, but they finished with 42 wins and 40 losses. This earned them their first playoff spot since 1970. The Suns surprised everyone by beating the Seattle SuperSonics and then the defending champion Golden State Warriors. This sent them to their first-ever NBA Finals!

Paul Westphal led the Suns to their first-ever NBA Finals in 1976.

In the Finals, the Suns played against the experienced Boston Celtics. Game five was a famous game. The Suns came back from being 22 points behind to force overtime. The game went to three overtimes! The Celtics eventually won that game and then won the series in six games. Even though the Suns lost, it was an amazing journey.

The Kevin Johnson and Charles Barkley Years: 1988–1996

The Suns started to get much better in 1988 when they got Kevin Johnson. They also added Tom Chambers and drafted Dan Majerle. This started a team record of 13 straight playoff appearances.

Moving to a New Arena and Charles Barkley

In 1992, the Suns moved into their new home, the America West Arena (now called Footprint Center). It was sometimes called the "Purple Palace" because of its purple seats. That same year, the Suns traded for superstar Charles Barkley. Barkley went on to win the MVP award in his first season with the Suns (1992–93).

Charles Barkley won NBA MVP and led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993.

With Barkley and new coach Paul Westphal, the Suns won 62 games in 1992–93, a team record. They made it to the 1993 NBA Finals for the second time. They faced the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan. The Suns lost the series in six games. This series also had a triple-overtime game, just like their 1976 Finals.

The Suns continued to be a strong team for the next few years. However, they kept losing in the playoffs to the Houston Rockets. After the 1995–96 season, Barkley was traded to Houston.

Average Times: 1996–2004

In the 1996 NBA draft, the Suns picked Steve Nash. For his first two seasons, he played a smaller role. After a tough start to the 1996–97 season, the Suns traded for Jason Kidd. With Kidd, the Suns made the playoffs. Nash was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998.

The Suns kept making the playoffs until the 2001–02 season. That year, they traded Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury. They also drafted Amar'e Stoudemire.

The Suns drafted Amare Stoudemire in 2002; he would become a six-time All Star.

In the 2002–03 season, Stoudemire became the first player drafted straight from high school to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The Suns made the playoffs but lost to the San Antonio Spurs. The 2003–04 season was a tough one, and the Suns missed the playoffs.

The Steve Nash Era: 2004–2012

In 2004, Steve Nash returned to the Suns as a free agent. The 2004–05 season was amazing for the Suns. They won 62 games, tying a team record. Nash won the MVP award. Amar'e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion were All-Stars, and coach Mike D'Antoni won Coach of the Year.

After Nash's return to Phoenix in 2004, they won 33 more games than they did the previous season.

In the 2005 NBA playoffs, the Suns swept the Memphis Grizzlies and beat the Dallas Mavericks. But they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.

For the 2005–06 NBA season, Stoudemire had knee surgery and missed most of the season. Despite this, the Suns still won 54 games. Nash won his second straight MVP award! The Suns faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. They were down 3–1 in the series but came back to win three straight games, eliminating the Lakers. They then beat the Los Angeles Clippers in a close seven-game series. In the Western Conference Finals, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks.

"Seven Seconds or Less" Offense

Under coach D'Antoni, the Suns became famous for their fast-paced offense called 7 seconds or less. This style focused on taking quick shots to make it hard for the other team to defend.

Shawn Marion, considered a key component of the "7 seconds or less" offense, was traded in 2008 after being drafted by the team in 1999.

The Suns had another great season in 2006–07, winning 61 games. They beat the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. But they again lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. Many people called this series "the real finals."

In 2008, Steve Kerr became the Suns' general manager. The team traded Shawn Marion for Shaquille O'Neal. This changed their fast-paced style. They lost to the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. After that, coach D'Antoni left.

Ups and Downs: 2008–2010

Terry Porter became the new head coach in 2008. But he was fired in February 2009 and replaced by Alvin Gentry. The Suns went back to their fast-paced style. They missed the playoffs that season.

Alvin Gentry coached the Suns to a Western Conference finals appearance in 2010.

In the 2009–10 season, the Suns played a more balanced style and won 54 games. They reached the Western Conference Finals, beating the Portland Trail Blazers and sweeping the San Antonio Spurs. However, they lost to the Lakers in six games.

Steve Kerr left his general manager role in 2010. The Suns tried to re-sign Amar'e Stoudemire, but he joined the New York Knicks. The team then brought in new players like Vince Carter and Marcin Gortat. The Suns missed the playoffs in the 2010–11 season.

Struggling Years and New Faces: 2012–2015

In 2012, the Suns traded Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers. This marked the end of an era. The team then brought back Goran Dragić and signed Michael Beasley and Luis Scola.

Steve Nash with the Lakers in 2012.

The Suns had a tough 2012–13 season, finishing with only 25 wins. Coach Alvin Gentry left, and Lindsey Hunter became the interim coach. In 2013, Ryan McDonough became the new general manager, and Jeff Hornacek was hired as head coach. The team also updated its logos, using more black and less purple.

In the 2013 NBA draft, the Suns picked Alex Len. Even though many expected them to be bad, they had a surprising start to the season. They finished with 48 wins, but just missed the playoffs.

Before the 2014–15 season, the Suns tried to sign big-name players but didn't. They traded for Isaiah Thomas and signed Eric Bledsoe and the Morris twins to new contracts. Before the trade deadline, the Suns made many changes. They traded Goran Dragić to the Miami Heat and got Brandon Knight. Isaiah Thomas was also traded to the Boston Celtics.

The Devin Booker Era: 2015–Present

Devin Booker Arrives and More Struggles

In the 2015 NBA draft, the Suns drafted Devin Booker. He was the youngest player drafted by the Suns at 18 years old. The Suns also signed Tyson Chandler. However, star player Eric Bledsoe got a season-ending injury in December 2015.

Devin Booker in 2016.

In February 2016, Jeff Hornacek was fired as head coach. Earl Watson took over. The Suns missed the playoffs for the sixth straight season. However, Devin Booker showed great promise. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.

The Suns kept struggling for a few more seasons. In 2017, Earl Watson was fired after a very bad start. Igor Kokoškov became the new head coach. The Suns got the first pick in the 2018 NBA draft and selected Deandre Ayton. They also traded for Mikal Bridges. Devin Booker signed a big contract extension.

The Suns continued to have losing seasons. In 2019, James Jones became the permanent general manager. Monty Williams was hired as the new head coach. The Suns finished with the worst record in the Western Conference.

In the 2019 NBA draft, the Suns made more trades, bringing in players like Cameron Johnson and Dario Šarić. They also signed veteran point guard Ricky Rubio. Early in the 2019–20 season, Ayton was suspended for breaking a league rule. However, the Suns still played well. In the NBA Bubble, they went undefeated (8–0) but still missed the playoffs.

Chris Paul Arrives and a Return to the Finals

The acquisition of Chris Paul (left) and second-year head coach Monty Williams (right) helped guide the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals, their first Finals appearance since 1993.

In 2020, the Suns traded for 10-time All-Star Chris Paul. This was a huge move! Both Devin Booker and Paul were named All-Stars for the 2020–21 NBA season. The Suns had an amazing season, finishing with the second-best record in the entire NBA. Coach Monty Williams was named NBCA Coach of the Year.

The Suns made the playoffs for the first time since 2010. They beat the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Then, they swept the Denver Nuggets, reaching the Western Conference Finals. On June 30, 2021, the Suns won the conference finals against the Los Angeles Clippers to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993!

In the Finals, the Suns won the first two games. But they eventually lost the series 4–2 to the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the loss, Booker set an NBA record for points scored in his first playoffs.

The Suns had another great season in 2021–22, setting a new team record with 64 wins! They were the best team in the NBA during the regular season. In the playoffs, they beat the New Orleans Pelicans. But they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games in the second round, even though they had a 2–0 lead.

New Owners and Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is eighth on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

In September 2022, the NBA fined the owner, Robert Sarver, and suspended him for one year due to issues with how he treated employees. Sarver then announced he would sell the team. Mat Ishbia and his brother Justin bought the Suns for a record $4 billion in February 2023.

Soon after, the Suns acquired 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets. This made the Suns a top contender for the championship. In the 2023 playoffs, the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers. But they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the second round. After the season, coach Monty Williams was fired. Frank Vogel was hired as the new head coach.

In June 2023, Phoenix acquired veteran guard Bradley Beal. Just before the next season, the Suns traded Deandre Ayton and got Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkić. The Suns finished the 2023–24 season with 49 wins and made the playoffs again. However, they were swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After this, Frank Vogel was fired. Two days later, the Suns hired Mike Budenholzer as their new head coach.

Home Arenas

The Suns played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum from 1968 to 1992. In 1992, they moved to the Footprint Center, which was first called the America West Arena. The arena was renovated in 2021.

Uniform History

The Phoenix Suns' current wordmark logo.

The Suns have changed their uniforms several times over the years.

Early Uniforms: 1968–1992

When the team started in 1968, their main colors were purple and orange. The first uniforms had a "Phoenix" wordmark and numbers in orange with purple and white outlines. A sunburst logo was on the shorts. In 1973, they changed the font to a Western style.

Streaking Sun Look: 1992–2013

For the 1992–93 season, the Suns completely changed their look. The new uniforms had a "Streaking Sun" logo on the chest with "Suns" above it. They also added a black alternate uniform in 1994.

In 2000, the Suns went for a simpler style. The home white uniform had "Suns" in purple with orange trim. The road purple uniform had "Phoenix" in white with orange trim. An orange alternate uniform with "PHX" was added in 2003.

In 2013, the Suns updated their "Streaking Sun" look. The new uniforms had orange streaks and sunburst designs. They also added a grey-sleeved uniform and a black alternate uniform.

Nike Era: Since 2017

When the NBA switched to Nike uniforms in 2017, the Suns changed their look again. They went back to a simpler design with purple as a main color. They now have "Association" (white), "Icon" (purple), and "Statement" (black or orange) uniforms.

"Los Suns" Uniforms

The Suns started wearing special "Noche Latina" uniforms in 2007 to honor their Latin American fans. These uniforms often said "Los Suns" on the front. In 2010, the Suns wore their "Los Suns" uniforms during a playoff game on Cinco de Mayo. This was seen as a protest against a new immigration law in Arizona.

"The Valley" City Edition Uniforms

Since 2020, the Suns have worn "City Edition" uniforms called "The Valley." These uniforms feature a black base with a pixelated mountain view sunset, inspired by Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. The uniform says "The Valley" on the front. In 2023, they released a Spanish version called "El Valle," honoring the city's Chicano fans.

Native American Culture Uniforms

For the 2022–23 season, the Suns wore a "City" uniform inspired by Native American culture. It had a turquoise base with indigenous art designs.

Mascot

The Suns Gorilla

The Suns didn't have a mascot for their first 11 seasons. This changed when a delivery person dressed as a gorilla did some dances during a game. Fans loved it, and Henry Rojas, the person in the costume, became the first Suns Gorilla, nicknamed "Go."

When Rojas retired, Bob Woolf, a former gymnast, took over. Woolf made the Gorilla famous for his amazing acrobatic slam dunk routines, backflips, and funny stunts. He was the first NBA mascot to do daring stunts like jumping through a ring of fire. The Suns Gorilla became one of the most famous mascots in the NBA.

"Go" was added to the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005. He still appears at charity events, schools, and hospitals.

Media

Suns games are shown on Arizona's Family Sports network and on the streaming service Suns Live. This gives fans many ways to watch the games.

98.7 KMVP-FM is the main radio station for the Suns. Al McCoy has been the team's play-by-play announcer since 1972. He is the longest-serving broadcaster in NBA history. He was honored in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Hall of Famers and Honored Numbers

Ring of Honor and Retired Numbers

The Suns have a "Ring of Honor" for important players, coaches, and staff. They also retire jersey numbers for their most famous players. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again.

Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor
No.	Player	Position	Years Played
5*	Dick Van Arsdale	G	1968–1977
6*	Walter Davis	G	1977–1988
7*	Kevin Johnson	G	1988–1998, 2000
9*	Dan Majerle	F	1988–1995, 2001–2002
13*	Steve Nash	G	1996–1998, 2004–2012
24*	Tom Chambers	F	1988–1993
31*	Shawn Marion	F	1999–2008
32*	Amar'e Stoudemire	F	2002–2010
33*	Alvan Adams	C	1975–1988
34*	Charles Barkley	F	1992–1996
42*	Connie Hawkins	F	1969–1973
44*	Paul Westphal	G	1975–1980, 1983–1984
	Al McCoy	Broadcaster	1972–2023
—	Jerry Colangelo	Owner, Coach, Executive	1968–2004
—	Cotton Fitzsimmons	Coach	1970–1972, 1988–1992, 1996
—	John MacLeod	Coach	1973–1987
—	Joe Proski	Trainer	1968–2000

Note: The NBA also retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all its teams in 2022.

Basketball Hall of Famers

Many players who played for the Suns have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This means they are recognized as some of the greatest players in basketball history.

Images for kids

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  A home game against the Sacramento Kings in the 2006–07 season.

See also

In Spanish: Phoenix Suns para niños