About Dick Van Arsdale
Richard Albert Van Arsdale (February 22, 1943 – December 16, 2024) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns. A three-time NBA All-Star selection with the Suns, his No. 5 jersey was retired by the Phoenix Suns and he is a member of the Suns Ring of Honor. Jerry Colangelo, who was the Suns' first general manager, interim coach (twice), and part owner called Van Arsdale "the pillar of the Phoenix Suns franchise" upon Van Arsdale's retirement in 1977. An All-Star in each of his first three seasons with Phoenix, Van Arsdale remains known as "the Original Sun". Van Arsdale played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, along with his identical twin brother, Tom. In high school, Van Arsdale and his brother were jointly named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1961. The New York Knicks selected Van Arsdale in the second round of the 1965 NBA draft. He and Tom were both named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Van Arsdale played three seasons for the Knicks before being selected by the Suns with their first pick of the 1968 NBA expansion draft. He played with the Suns for the next nine seasons, retiring after the 1976–77 season (during which his brother Tom was a Suns' teammate). From 1977 to 2005, he remained with the Suns' franchise as a radio and television color commentator, interim coach (1987), and team executive; until suffering a stroke in 2005. Van Arsdale was a member of the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1965 Summer Universiade. Van Arsdale played in the NBA for twelve seasons; three with the Knicks and the remainder with the Phoenix Suns, their first selection in the 1968 expansion draft.
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