What if.....The Phoenix Suns version.

[Ronin]

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/charles-barkley-slammed-chicago-for-preparing-a-title-party-too-soon-in-1993-nba-finals

 

[Yuma]

That's why Barkley is right up there as the greatest Sun ever. It's hard to beat Nash's two MVPs, but Barkley put up serious numbers in the playoffs. Triple doubles, etc. He has playoff records for our franchise that may never be broken. People forget that. Barkley was a beast on the biggest stages.

 

[Ronin]

"They Could Have Offered Me All the Money in the World": Robert Horry Couldn't Wait to Leave the Suns

Robert Horry told Byron Scott's Fast Break how he hated pretty much everything about his time with the Phoenix Sun.

thesportsrush.com

 

[Hoop Head]

"They Could Have Offered Me All the Money in the World": Robert Horry Couldn't Wait to Leave the Suns

Robert Horry told Byron Scott's Fast Break how he hated pretty much everything about his time with the Phoenix Sun.

thesportsrush.com

To be fair I hate virtually everything Robert Horry and don't believe that's a unique perspective as a Suns fan.

 

[Mainstreet]

Can't respect Robert Horry after throwing a towel in Danny Ainge's face and hip checking Steve Nash into the scorer's table.

He likely cost the Suns a championship.

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[GatorAZ]

Can't respect Robert Horry after throwing a towel in Danny Ainge's face and hip checking Steve Nash into the scorer's table.

He likely cost the Suns a championship.

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That was almost greatest win in franchise history.

 

[Phrazbit]

Can't respect Robert Horry after throwing a towel in Danny Ainge's face and hip checking Steve Nash into the scorer's table.

He likely cost the Suns a championship.

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Without question, Horry is on the all time villains list.

Played for the Houston teams that beat us for potential titles in 94 and 95.

Part of the terrible Barkley trade.

Towel face scum bag.

The hip check on Nash... which really is probably the biggest "what if" in Suns history.

 

[Yuma]

It all goes back to the coin flip. I think there's an alternate universe where the Suns get Lew Alcindor (Kareem), and win their first championship. Then everything falls into place and this franchise goes on to win several championships afterwards. Our fate, and bad decisions chasing for that first championship, all comes down to one losing coin flip.

 

[Superbone]

It all goes back to the coin flip. I think there's an alternate universe where the Suns get Lew Alcindor (Kareem), and win their first championship. Then everything falls into place and this franchise goes on to win several championships afterwards. Our fate, and bad decisions chasing for that first championship, all comes down to one losing coin flip.

And Colangelo smartly put the coin flip decision on the fans at the time via a poll in the Arizona Republic. I was too young to know about it or partake so I am off the hook.

 

[Mainstreet]

And Colangelo smartly put the coin flip decision on the fans at the time via a poll in the Arizona Republic. I was too young to know about it or partake so I am off the hook.

I don't recall how fans cast their vote back then.

 

[Superbone]

I don't recall how fans cast their vote back then.

Probably write in to the paper. Or maybe they had kiosks around town. I don't know.

ETA:

Here's the AI synopsis:

For the 1969 NBA coin toss for Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Phoenix Suns executive Jerry Colangelo conducted a poll in a local newspaper to solicit feedback from fans
.
The poll details:

• The survey The poll was published in The Arizona Republic, asking fans to vote on whether the Suns should call "heads" or "tails" during the coin flip.
• The results Of the fans who participated, 51.2% voted to call "heads".
• The motive Colangelo said he wanted to involve the fans in the monumental decision and have them "share in the win or the loss".
• The outcome Following the fans' advice, Colangelo called "heads." The coin landed "tails," and the Milwaukee Bucks won the first pick and drafted Alcindor.

 

[Superbone]

And there's this:

How a Coin Flip and a Forgotten Check Changed NBA History Forever​

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I would like to tell a story of which I have heavily researched and believe has a **significant** impact on all of NBA history (from 1969 forward). It is the story of how a coin flip and a forgotten check released the ultimate butterfly effect onto the NBA forever.

There will be a TLDR at the bottom and I will post a video essay version for visuals at the bottom, if anyone is interested in either.

Let's go back to 1969, big things were happening. The Celtics had just come off of their 11th championship in 12 years, The ABA was just beginning to find some ground, and America was getting ready to land on the moon for the first time in history.

While that was happening, something big was also happening in California- more specifically, UCLA. By "big" I mean 7 feet 2 inches, 225 LBS: Kareem Abdul Jabber.

In his freshman year he lead the bruins to a 33-0 record averaging 29 PPG on 67% shooting and won a national title, again, as a freshman! To give context to how dominant Kareem was, in his sophomore year, the NCAA banned dunking from college basketball, and a large part of that was because of Kareem. At this point in his basketball career believe it or not, he was pretty offensively limited, but it didn't matter. Anytime Kareem was within 4 feet of the basket it would be an instant dunk, offensive rebounds were easily 2 points, there was no one big or strong enough to think about altering anything Kareem did

While the NCAA provided other reasons for the ban, like it being too damaging to back boards, It is widely accepted that Kareem played a big part in the ban.

Unsurprisingly, his points per game did drop, but it did help Kareem develop his footwork and the shot he would become famous for- his sky-hook. So ultimately, this ban would help Kareem become the Kareem we know him as today: One of the most offensively polished centers in NBA history. He ended his college career with 3 national titles and 26 points per game at UCLA.

Now... this is where it gets really interesting.

At the end of the 1968 NBA season, we have 2 teams contending for the number one pick: The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns who were 2 expansion teams coming off of their first season in the NBA. Up until the 1984 season, the number 1 pick was determined by a coin flip between the 2 teams with the worst record in each conference, and it was obvious who either would pick number 1. The suns asked to choose and the Bucks and Commissioner agreed. The Sun's owner, Jerry Colangelo, wanted to get the fans involved with the pick. So they did a poll in the newspaper and according to Jerry 51.2% of the fans voted to pick heads.

“I wanted our fans to share in the win or the loss,” Colangelo says. “It was such a monumental, once-in-a-lifetime flip of a coin, why not let your fans be a part of that?”
The story continues as this:

From his office in New York, the commissioner of the NBA, James Kennedy, dialed up the 2 owners of the Bucks and Suns. They were both in their respective cities and the commissioner's office was in New York, so it was done via telephone.

"Gentlemen, Kennedy began, "I am going to put the receiver on my desk." "Then I will flip this coin in the air and catch it with my right hand and put it on the back with my left."
Kennedy laid down the telephone, did exactly what he said he was going to do he flips it, it lands heads initially but he flips it over like he previously said he would, and it is tails. The Bucks win the first pick of the 1969 NBA Draft.

Also after they won, the owner of the bucks grabbed the general manager so hard and hugged him that he jammed a lit cigarette into his ear. Jerry Colangelo also says he drove around town for hours trying to get himself together, it was absolutely devastating for the Sun's front office.

 

[Superbone]

If the commissioner had caught it and not flipped it onto his wrist, we would have won.

 

[Mainstreet]

Probably write in to the paper. Or maybe they had kiosks around town. I don't know.

ETA:

Here's the AI synopsis:

For the 1969 NBA coin toss for Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Phoenix Suns executive Jerry Colangelo conducted a poll in a local newspaper to solicit feedback from fans
.
The poll details:

• The survey The poll was published in The Arizona Republic, asking fans to vote on whether the Suns should call "heads" or "tails" during the coin flip.
• The results Of the fans who participated, 51.2% voted to call "heads".
• The motive Colangelo said he wanted to involve the fans in the monumental decision and have them "share in the win or the loss".
• The outcome Following the fans' advice, Colangelo called "heads." The coin landed "tails," and the Milwaukee Bucks won the first pick and drafted Alcindor.

It's hard to envision fans sending in a written vote unless there was a prize involved. I believe Circle K and 7/11 were actively involved with the Suns in that era, as well as the newspapers. Maybe fans could vote there.

I doubt fans knew what a kiosk was back in those days.

That raises another interesting point. The fans voted to name the team as well.

I do remember not being particularly happy with the name choice, although I don't remember voting.

 

[Mainstreet]

I found these links about the fans voting to name the team.

Maybe there wasn't a formal ballot to name the team or vote for the coin flip.

The story behind how the Phoenix Suns got their name -- and the mother who picked it

In 1968, gas cost $0.34 per gallon, the Arizona Livestock show was the biggest event in town, and the city just learned it was getting its first professional basketball team.

www.abc15.com

53 years ago, Phoenix's NBA franchise received its nickname

When Phoenix was awarded an NBA franchise, executives wanted to make sure they gave it a proper nickname. Fifty-three years ago, the name was announced.

cronkitenews.azpbs.org

 

[GatorAZ]

Everything about this franchise and valley sports is different if the Suns got Kareem.

 

[Hoop Head]

I don't think Kareem would have stayed here long. I know I wasn't even alive back then but he wanted out of Milwaukee in part because of the cultural makeup of the city. Phoenix in the 60's or early 70's was supposed to win him over? I think it could have potentially hurt the franchise more if he bailed in a similar way he did Milwaukee.

Kareem was one hell of an athlete but he was also an activist and cultural figure. The what if behind him in Phoenix raises a lot of questions because I doubt it would have been smooth sailing.

 

[GatorAZ]

I don't think Kareem would have stayed here long. I know I wasn't even alive back then but he wanted out of Milwaukee in part because of the cultural makeup of the city. Phoenix in the 60's or early 70's was supposed to win him over? I think it could have potentially hurt the franchise more if he bailed in a similar way he did Milwaukee.

Kareem was one hell of an athlete but he was also an activist and cultural figure. The what if behind him in Phoenix raises a lot of questions because I doubt it would have been smooth sailing.

We’re close enough to LA/Hollywood than it wouldn’t have mattered IMO. Kareem would’ve been beloved here Jerry would’ve made sure of it.

 

[Yuma]

Probably write in to the paper. Or maybe they had kiosks around town. I don't know.

ETA:

Here's the AI synopsis:

For the 1969 NBA coin toss for Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Phoenix Suns executive Jerry Colangelo conducted a poll in a local newspaper to solicit feedback from fans
.
The poll details:

• The survey The poll was published in The Arizona Republic, asking fans to vote on whether the Suns should call "heads" or "tails" during the coin flip.
• The results Of the fans who participated, 51.2% voted to call "heads".
• The motive Colangelo said he wanted to involve the fans in the monumental decision and have them "share in the win or the loss".
• The outcome Following the fans' advice, Colangelo called "heads." The coin landed "tails," and the Milwaukee Bucks won the first pick and drafted Alcindor.

Man, I always call Tails never Fails.

 

[Yuma]

We’re close enough to LA/Hollywood than it wouldn’t have mattered IMO. Kareem would’ve been beloved here Jerry would’ve made sure of it.

I think in an alternate universe we win the coin flip, the Suns win a Championship, and Kareem has a statue in front of the stadium.