Best Suns Moments With Al McCoy

The legendary voice of the Suns has many iconic broadcasting moments.

Apr 25, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Al McCoy the play-by-play announcer for the Suns during the pregame show at Game 5 against the LA Clipper. McCoy is retiring after his 51st season as Voice of the Suns. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic News Al Mccoy No Longer Courtside / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns legend Al McCoy unfortunately passed away this past weekend at the age of 91 - and the community is continuing to reel from the loss.

McCoy, 91, was not only an icon of the city, but a symbol of loyalty, professionalism, and how to call games to generations of aspiring fans and journalists.

A few of the memories that etched McCoy into one of the greats in the broadcasting world and made him an icon for generations to come:

The Shot Heard 'Round the World

This is possibly the most famous call in the history of the Suns franchise - just a few years after McCoy took over as the voice of the Suns.

Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals in Boston. Series tied at two wins apiece. The Celtics took the lead in the waning seconds and hit a free throw to go up 112-110.

Despite this, some fans rushed the court and gifted the Suns better inbounding position where Gar Heard was able to catch the ball, turn around at the top of the key, and drained a contested jumper to send the game into overtime.

The Celtics eventually won the series, but this was absolutely a signature moment in the legend's career - and the sequence can be seen here.

7 Seconds or Less Era

This era was simply memorable on a number of fronts - from solidifying McCoy as a member of media royalty to revolutionizing the game of basketball.

McCoy helped popularize "The Matrix" nickname that was given to Shawn Marion by Kenny Smith. He called some of the most crucial contests in franchise history with his classic charm.

He was part of the team that changed basketball history - and was perhaps at the forefront of that.

2021 Finals Run

McCoy had the opportunity to witness one more championship attempt - when Phoenix made the improbable jump from "bubble" darlings to legitimate title threat.

He had several iconic calls that season, ranging from the Suns knocking out the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers - to the "Valley Oop" in which a Deandre Ayton dunk off of a lob lead to a Suns victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in game 3 of the West Finals.

The most meaningful, however, was the official call when the Suns knocked the Clippers out in game 6 of the very series - that lead them to their first Finals since '93.

"And the closing seconds have ticked away... this one is over. The Suns get the win over the L.A. Clippers, they eliminate the Clippers - and I have to tell you this... for the third time in my NBA broadcasting career, I have the opportunity to say the Suns are going to the NBA Finals, the Suns have an opportunity to be the kings of all of pro basketball."

Final Broadcast

McCoy's final broadcast was an unfortunate 125-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets in game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals on May 11, 2023.

His final "Shazam" call was a three-point hit by Landry Shamet with just around 6 minutes left in the contest - and he signed off with a heartfelt message paying homage to all the fans, players, etc over his 51 years on the job:

"I think our listeners know this is my final broadcast for the Phoenix Suns... I want to thank all of those folks that depend on radio for letting me be a part of their lives... I just want to say thank you for 51 wonderful years, and allowing me to bring the story of the Suns and the NBA to you. It's been a great ride."

The Suns are sure to honor his legacy in some way this season - and he will remain immortalized inside of Footprint Center forever.