Al McCoy is the MVP of the Phoenix Suns

As the Phoenix Suns begin their first season since the death of legendary play-by-play star Al McCoy, former team owner Jerry Colangelo took another opportunity to reflect on what McCoy meant to this franchise and to Arizona.

To A tribute to Al McCoy from Arizona SportsColangelo called McCoy the Suns' all-time MVP for his 51 years of telling their story.

“We had a lot of really good teams, we had a lot of really great players,” Colangelo said. “Look at Ring of Honor and others who were really outstanding players.” My feeling with Al McCoy is that you add them all together and who's the MVP? It’s Al McCoy for what he did and how he represented the Suns over five decades.”

McCoy retired after the 2022–23 season, ending his career as the league's longest-serving broadcaster. He brought fans to the game from their living rooms, whether they were listening to the radio or watching TV. The Suns inducted him into Ring of Honor in 2016.

Colangelo compared McCoy's influence to Hall of Fame Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn in Los Angeles, a voice that connected his team to a new NBA city. Colangelo said Hearn once told him McCoy was the best play-by-play broadcaster in the NBA.

“You didn’t have to be there to know what was going on in the game,” Colangelo said. “You almost felt like you were not only getting play after play, but you could also imagine what was happening on the field. He was so descriptive. He was that good. He had a large following of people who were incapacitated and unable to attend a game, and he wanted to make sure they had a feel and understanding of the game. And he called it accordingly.”

McCoy made it a point to greet blind Suns fans at his final farewell in May 2023.

Colangelo remembers traveling with the team in his early years and meeting McCoy along the way.

“He was a great jazz pianist, and he loved going to piano bars and playing,” Colangelo said. “I have great memories of various cities around the country where we spent time in piano bars because of his great interest. He was a great entertainer. He really was, and he represented us impeccably.”

The Suns will honor McCoy with an “Al” ribbon on their jerseys this season, and hopefully there will be many more stories and memories from his remarkable career and impact on the Valley.

Follow @alexjweiner