The team will honor Al McCoy’s legacy every night.
Another Suns Media Day has come and gone, a familiar ritual marking the transition from offseason speculation to the tangible excitement of the season ahead. This year’s event was packed with countless storylines, each carrying its own weight. Angles to dissect, strategies to evaluate, and statements that hint at the team’s ambitions for the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns. The conversations were lively and far-reaching, setting the stage for what could be a pivotal season.
Yet, before we dive into the intricacies of what was discussed, it feels only right to begin by reflecting on someone whose voice became synonymous with Suns basketball for generations. Al McCoy. His recent passing leaves a void that transcends broadcasting; it’s a loss felt deeply by the organization and its fans alike. Early in the press conferences, the team addressed how they plan to honor his towering legacy, acknowledging that McCoy wasn’t just a voice, but the heartbeat of Suns basketball for nearly five decades.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia announced that the team would commemorate McCoy’s enduring impact by wearing a black ribbon on the left shoulder of every uniform throughout the season. It’s a small gesture, but one that speaks to the profound respect McCoy earned as a beloved figure in Phoenix and beyond.
“The passing of Al McCoy,” Ishbia began, “a legend here in Phoenix. 51 years with the organization. A great representation of our organization. He will be missed. We are going to have a band on our jerseys that say “AL” on it.”
Our team is proud to honor Al McCoy and the huge impact he made on the @Suns organization, our fans, and the NBA across the board. This season, our players will wear the “AL” jersey band each game as a reminder of his legacy. pic.twitter.com/D7stTc7xHW
— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) September 30, 2024
“Sad we couldn’t bring him a championship while he was alive,” Ishbia continued, “Hopefully we’ll get one with him on our jersey.”
Devin Booker gave his thoughts on Al McCoy as well. “Al is the historian of this franchise,” Booker said. “Somebody I grew super close to over time. Somebody that I view as a really good friend of mine. He’s embedded in this culture and in this city forever. It was losing a family member for a lot of us.”
Devin Booker did acknowledge that having the word “SHAZAM” on their jerseys would have been pretty cool, stating, “I heard rumblings of ‘SHAZAM’ on there. I think that would’ve been iconic”.
As player after player stepped up to the mic, each donning the iconic purple uniform, a sense of unity and purpose-filled the room. The “AL” patch on their shoulders was more than a simple tribute; it was a reminder of the legacy they carried into the upcoming season.
Al McCoy’s name rested on their shoulders, a quiet but powerful symbol of the decades of history, passion, and dedication that had shaped the very fabric of the Phoenix Suns. It was clear that this season would not just be about wins and losses, but about honoring the memory of a man who had given his voice and heart to the team. The presence of “AL” was a silent but profound motivator, a rallying cry for a team with high hopes and even higher expectations, ready to etch new stories into the franchise’s history, this time, with McCoy’s enduring legacy stitched into every step they take.