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Phoenix Suns : Rest in Peace Coach John MacLeod

By Khaleel Abdullah

PORTLAND, OR - 1987: Phoenix Suns head coach John Macleod points against the Portland Trailblazers at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon circa 1987. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - 1987: Phoenix Suns head coach John Macleod points against the Portland Trailblazers at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon circa 1987. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Phoenix Suns family and fans are in mourning as one of the brightest minds and greatest men in franchise history has passed.

Last night, some very sad news came out as the Phoenix Suns issued a statement on their Twitter on the passing of John MacLeod.

"We are saddened today to learn of the passing of Suns Ring of Honor member and all-time winningest head coach, John MacLeod. … Coach McLeod was a winner in every sense and will be dearly missed by our entire Phoenix Suns family."

After an 11 year battle with Alzheimer’s, he joins Connie Hawkins and Cotton Fitzsimmons as Ring of Honor members that have passed.

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Phoenix Suns

MacLeod was an unknown from Oklahoma that Jerry Colangelo brought in. Due to his intelligence and eagerness to learn as he wanted to know every thing about the game and there wasn’t any thing he wouldn’t study, he ended up being the head coach of the Suns for 13 plus seasons, from 1973-87.

He’s the franchise’s longest tenured head coach and is tied with Al Attles for the third longest tenure in league history, behind only the legendary Red Auerbach and Greg Popovich.

He’s the winningest head coach in Suns history with 579 wins. In his time on the sidelines, he led the team to the NBA Finals, 2 Western Conference Finals, a club-record 11 playoff appearances and the most playoff wins (37) in team history.

In the 1975-76 season, he led the “Sunderella Suns” to the NBA Finals where they took the Boston Celtics to six games. That was after defeating the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

The history part of the Phoenix Suns website has a great quote from MacLeod on that playoff push.

"“The Boston series was great,” he says. “The Golden State series, which was a seven-game series leading up to it, was tremendous as well. We beat Golden State twice on their floor and we won the seventh game on their floor to go to the Finals, and they were the defending champions. We were major underdogs all the way through the playoffs. Those games, you never forget.”"

In 1981 he was named as the head coach for the West team in the All-Star game.

Not only was he a great coach but he was a great teacher, motivator and communicator as well who kept his player’s attention. He would not be outworked or outhustled by any opposing coach. He was intense and committed and his players felt that if a game came down to coaching, they were going to come out on top.

His system featured tough defense, hard practice and a liberal use of his bench. Every member of his rosters played with intensity and hustle. Alvan Adams, in that same Suns history piece, confirmed such.

"“He had a rule, ‘You stayed in the game as long as you played hard. If he saw you dogging it back on defense he’d take you out. He didn’t yell at you, or throw a chair at you, he just took you out, and you knew why you were out, and he’d put someone else in there.”"

However, as much as he’d drill into his players, he went above and beyond when it came to development and relationships with them. He was exactly what a player would want in a coach. He was a great person, overall. Cronkite News had a quote from his son that rings so true.

"“If you spent 20 minutes with my dad, you would’ve thought you knew him for 20 years,” Matt said. “He takes an interest in you as a person. He treated everyone the same,” Matt said. “No matter who you were, you got that same level of respect from my father.”"

I, personally, can attest to this. When Mr. MacLeod was an assistant coach for Scott Skiles in the 1999-00 season, the Suns were having a function and I had the pleasure of meeting the man. I was preparing for high school at the time and as anyone knows, any advice at that point is helpful.

Not only did he shake my hand and look me in the eyes, which gave you such a genuine feeling that is so hard to find these days, he gave me a great quote which sticks with me today.

"He said, “You are at an age where you are going to face a lot of trials. Stand tall and face them. You have to get through thorns to see the beautiful roses.”"

Not only did the Suns lose one of the greatest coaches in their history, but the world lost a great man.

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Rest in peace, Coach John MacLeod. You will be missed.

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