1979-80 was my first season, could anyone then play in today’s NBA?
Meet Manuel Loera, one of our newest Bright Side of the Suns contributors.
I have been a Suns fan for as long as I can remember. I watched arguably one of the greatest games in NBA Finals history ever played, Game 5 of the 1976 Finals, Suns versus the mighty Boston Celtics in the Garden. Gar Heard’s “shot heard around the world” forced the third overtime of that game. While the shot itself was unbelievable, the events leading up to that are just as amazing. Take the time and watch the entire sequence.
The making of the Cinderella Suns.
The Suns did lose the game and the series, but that Finals run was one of the most unlikely runs by a team in NBA Finals history. This was the genesis of Phoenix Suns fans’ heartbreak. Wait a minute, the “coin toss” may be the beginning…
During high school, I had the honor and privilege of being a ball boy for the Suns. I was one for three seasons: 79-80, 80-81, and 81-82. To this day, that was the best job I ever had. I did not get paid for doing this, but every game was a thrill. During that time, I saw some of the greatest NBA players play the game. This was before Jordon, but I saw Magic Johnson (while I despised him as a player, he was so gracious with the ball boys), Kareem, Dr. J, and my all-time non-Sun favorite player, Larry Bird. I could go on and on about the players.
My first year was the first year the NBA had a three-point line. Are any of you out there old enough to have seen an NBA game with no three-point line? Probably not but that is okay, read your history books.
In my first year — the 1979-80 season — the Suns finished with a 55-27 record and with the third seen in the Pacific Division behind the Los Angeles Lakers (the Showtime Lakers) and the Seattle SuperSonics. That Suns team had some fantastic players and also some cool nicknames as well. Westy, Sweet D, the Oklahoma Kid, and Len “Truck” Robinson, to name a few.
I want to make a case for three of these players from that team that could play and flourish in the NBA today. Gather around kids…Gramps is going to tell you some stories from the olden days.
Alvan Adams
6’9” 215 lbs Center
University of Oklahoma
Double A, Oklahoma Kid
Double A played his entire career, 13 seasons, with the Suns. 988 games and had career averages of 14.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. He was the 1975-76 Rookie of the Year. Adams was an undersized center with a high basketball IQ. He played good defense and was a “connecter” on the court.
Being a ball boy and working “the basket,” I got to see Adams work in the high post. He was either at the top of the key or on either elbow, finding cutters to the basket and hitting them in stride with a bounce pass. He was an excellent passer.
A comparable player in today’s NBA is Bam Adebayo. Both are good defenders and facilitators. Alvan was a better outside shooter. Imagine Prime Adams with the current Suns team; he could play the four and let KD play the small forward, or he could play the 5. While the stats won’t support a ‘stretch’ 5 (he made only two three-point field goals in his entire career on 15 attempts), he could do many other ‘winning’ things on the court, like facilitate, rebound, and play solid defense.
Walter Davis
6’6” 195 lbs SF/SG
University of North Carolina
Sweet D, the Greyhound, Man with the Velvet Touch
Sweet D played 766 games with the Suns and averaged 20.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. He was the 1977-78 Rookie of the Year, a two-time all-NBA performer, a six-time All-Star, and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2024.
Davis was a fantastic shooter. He had perfect form on his jumper. He shot 52% from the field and 84% from the free throw line during his 11 seasons with the Suns. One of his nicknames was the “Man with the Velvet Touch,” and it was true.
Walter’s warm-up started the same way every game. He would start doing flat-footed shots about five feet away from the basket, starting on one baseline and working his way around the basket. He would then take a few steps back and do the same thing and continue until he was at the free-throw line. He would rarely miss a shot. Like I said, perfect form.
When I try to figure out a current player who reminds me of Walter, several players come to mind, but Khris Middleton is the best comp. Both have a tremendous midrange game. Sweet D was a bucket-getter. He could catch and shoot, shoot off the dribble, or drive to the basket. He would be a perfect sixth man in today’s NBA.
Paul Westphal
6’4” 195 lbs SG/PG
USC
Westy
Westy played 465 games, six seasons, with the Suns. He averaged 20.6 ppg, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals. He was a four-time All-NBA performer and five-time All-Star. He won a championship in 1974 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
In addition, as most of you know, Westphal coached the Suns from 1992-95 and compiled a 191-88 record. He led us to the 1992-93 NBA Finals, losing to the Jordon Bulls in six games.
On the court, Westy could do it all. He could score both inside and outside and play the point. Westy had the “it” factor that translates across eras.
My ball boy memory of Westphal was how many left-handed shots (he was right-handed) he took in warmups. He would shoot free throws left-handed. This translated to the court, as he made many left-handed shots, not just layups but shots.
Prime Westy would flourish in the league today. When I said he had the “it” factor, he would talk some trash on the court. DeMar DeRozan is the comp I came up with, but Westy did more.
As a lifetime fan crossing over many basketball eras, my ball boy years gave me a unique opportunity to watch many games and see many players. It was fun reminiscing about my first year as a ball boy soooooo many years ago. Take the time to look into Suns history to enjoy and appreciate our beloved team.