Dick Van Arsdale, a three-time NBA All-Star and the first player selected in the Phoenix Suns’ 1968 expansion draft, died on December 16, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. He was 81. The cause of death was heart and kidney failure.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Suns legend Dick Van Arsdale, the ‘Original Sun’ and a member of our Ring of Honor,” the Suns wrote in their statement. Van Arsdale was the first selection in the expansion draft to build the Suns roster and the scorer of the first points in team history.
Born on February 22, 1943 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Van Arsdale stood 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighed 210 pounds during his playing career. Before his professional career, he attended Manual High School in Indianapolis and later played college basketball at Indiana University, where he earned All-American honors in 1965.
The New York Knicks selected Van Arsdale in the second round (13th overall pick) of the 1965 NBA Draft. During his three seasons with the Knicks, he averaged 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game across 236 games, helping the team reach the playoffs twice.
Van Arsdale’s career took a significant turn when the Phoenix Suns selected him as their first pick in the 1968 expansion draft. He immediately made an impact in Phoenix, earning All-Star honors in his first three seasons with the team. During the 1970-71 season, he reached his career-high average of 21.9 points per game.
A highlight of Van Arsdale’s career came in 1976 when he helped lead the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance, though they ultimately lost to the Boston Celtics. The following season proved especially meaningful as his identical twin brother, Tom Van Arsdale, also a three-time NBA All-Star, joined the Suns, allowing the brothers to play together for their final NBA season.
In 1978, the twins spoofed their identical looks in a Miller Lite beer TV commercial.
Van Arsdale retired in 1977 as the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, with career averages of 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game over his 12-year NBA career. After his playing days, he remained deeply involved with the Suns organization, serving in various roles including broadcaster, interim head coach, general manager, and senior vice president of player personnel. As interim coach during the 1987 season, he led the team to a 14-12 record, including an impressive stretch of 10 wins in 11 games.
In his later years, Van Arsdale survived a stroke in 2005 that caused speech impairment. He developed an interest in art, working alongside his brother Tom, who had taken up oil painting. The brothers opened an art studio together in 2018. According to his former Indiana University teammate Jon McGlocklin, Van Arsdale had been in declining health over the past year.
Van Arsdale married Barbara Fenton in 1965. In addition to his brother, he is survived by his wife; a son, Jason; a daughter, Jill; and four grandchildren.
