Career Journey
Paul Westphal won a title as a young reserve on the 1974 Celtics, but he became a star only after Boston traded him to Phoenix, where the ball was finally his. A smooth, inventive scoring guard, he made five All-Star teams and earned three All-NBA First Team selections, and he carried the underdog 1976 Suns to the Finals. That series produced one of the sharpest basketball-IQ plays ever: in the triple-overtime Game 5, Westphal deliberately called a timeout his team didn't have, trading a technical foul for a midcourt inbound that kept Phoenix alive. He later coached the Suns back to the Finals in 1993. Westphal entered the Hall of Fame in 2019 and passed away in 2021 at the age of 70.
Offensive Game
Elite scorer for his era — could fill it up from anywhere on the court. Exceptional pull-up jumper, creative finisher in the pick-and-roll, and confident in pressure situations. Multiple All-Star performances reflect his offensive dominance.
Defensive Game
Adequate defender who used his intelligence to compensate for limitations in lateral quickness as he aged. More impactful offensively than defensively across his career.
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Paul Westphal is the only figure in Suns history who led the franchise to the Finals both as a player and as a head coach. His #44 honors a contribution that spans two defining eras.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
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Boston Celtics
1972-1975
Phoenix Suns
1975-1980
Seattle SuperSonics
1980-1982
New York Knicks
1982-1983
Phoenix Suns
1983-1984
1974 NBA champion (Boston)
Won his ring as a young guard in Boston before being traded to Phoenix, where he blossomed into an All-Star.
Led the 1976 Suns to the Finals
Guided the underdog 'Sunderella' Suns to the championship series, capped by the famous triple-overtime Game 5.
5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team
Among the most productive scoring guards of the mid-to-late 1970s.
Hall of Fame (2019)
Enshrined in 2019; he also coached the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals.
Intangibles
Exceptional basketball intelligence — the same IQ that made him an elite player translated directly into becoming an effective NBA head coach. Understood the game at a strategic level throughout his career.
Personal Life & Family
Status
Married
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Various youth basketball and community work throughout career
Did You Know?
Westphal is unique in Suns history for having been both the franchise's most important player in one era (1970s Finals run) and the head coach of another era's most important team (1993 Finals run) — no other figure has shaped Phoenix's championship moments in multiple roles.
The 1976 NBA Finals Game 5 triple-overtime classic — often called the greatest game ever played — featured Westphal in one of his most memorable and celebrated performances as the Suns' primary offensive weapon.
He played on the 1974 Boston Celtics championship team before being traded to Phoenix, giving him the unique experience of winning a championship with one of the Suns' greatest rivals before helping build Phoenix into a contender.
Westphal's basketball intelligence was so evident during his playing career that his post-retirement transition into coaching felt natural to everyone who had watched him play — he essentially studied coaching from the floor his entire career.
Career Honors
5x NBA All-Star (1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982)
1974 NBA Champion (Boston Celtics)
1976 Olympic Gold Medalist
NBA Coach of the Year candidate (1993 Suns)
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