Paul Westphal

American basketball player and coach who starred as a guard in the NBA from 1972-1984, known for his scoring ability and leadership on court.

Paul Douglas Westphal was born in Torrance, California in 1950 and attended USC. Boston Celtics selected him 10th overall in the 1972 NBA Draft and he won the NBA championship with Boston in 1974. He was then traded to Phoenix in 1975 — a trade that helped the Suns reach the 1976 NBA Finals in what was called the Triple Overtime Game (Game 5 against Boston) — the greatest game in Finals history to that point. He was selected to five All-Star games and named to the All-NBA First Team three times. He averaged 24.5 points per game with the Suns in 1977-78. His scoring average, creativity and basketball intelligence made him one of the most respected players of the late 1970s. He became a successful NBA head coach after retirement, coaching the Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder at various points. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. He died in January 2021 aged 70. His creative offensive approach — using hesitation moves, change of pace and misdirection that was unusual in the structured era — made him particularly admired by coaches who recognised its sophistication.

Smooth shooting guard with excellent court vision, clutch shooter, and strong basketball fundamentals

Hall of Fame player who excelled as both player and coach, key figure in Suns franchise history

• NBA Champion (1974)
• All-Star 5x
• All-NBA First Team 3x