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Cotton Fitzsimmons walked off a plane in Phoenix in 1970 wearing purple boots and a
wide grin. Coming fresh from Kansas State, whose colors also
included purple, he took over the coaching reins of a two-year-old
NBA franchise and began a storied NBA career.
Fitzsimmons went on to coach the Suns during three different stints, 1970-72, 1988-92 and 1997, compiling an impressive 341-208 (.621) regular season record in Phoenix, plus 21-19 in the playoffs. In his six full seasons as Suns coach, Cotton's clubs never won fewer than 48 games, including the remarkable turnaround season in 1988-89 during which the team won 55 games (27 more than the previous year) to earn him Coach of the Year honors. In 20 years as an NBA head coach with the Suns, Spurs, Kings, Hawks and Braves, Cotton notched 832 wins, which currently places him eighth on the all-time list. He now serves as senior executive vice president of the Suns.
