Dick Van Arsdale, a former second-round pick of the Knicks who later became known as the “Original Sun,” has died, the Suns announced Monday on social media.
He was 81 years old.
No cause of death was given.
“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. “The first selection in the expansion draft to build the Suns roster and the scorer of the first points in team history, Van Arsdale was a cornerstone of the Suns organization.”
Before he constructed his legacy in Phoenix, Van Arsdale helped the Knicks make two playoff appearances across three seasons with the franchise.
The Knicks selected Van Arsdale in the 1965 NBA Draft after his collegiate career at Indiana, and he averaged 12.8 points per game in 236 games while adding 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his tenure in New York.
When The Post’s Mike Vaccaro ranked the top 75 Knicks people in franchise history in 2021, Van Arsdale made the list at No. 64.
the Suns. NBAE via Getty Images
After the 1967-68 campaign ended, though, the Suns snagged Van Arsdale as their first pick in the expansion draft, and he went on to earn All-Star honors the next three seasons while spending the final nine years of his NBA career in Phoenix.
Van Arsdale helped spark the Suns’ run to the 1976 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics.
His identical twin brother, Tom, joined the Suns following that deep postseason run, allowing the pair to reunite as teammates for the first time since their college seasons with the Hoosiers in a campaign that marked the final one for both of them.
Van Arsdale ended his career as the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, too.
“We’ll always remember that season,” Van Arsdale said of the 1976-77 season in the Suns’ 25th anniversary book published in 1992. “Because it was our last in the league, and we got to play together. But, as far as the basketball itself went, things could have been a lot better.”
Van Arsdale served as Suns interim coach a decade after his retirement, guiding Phoenix to a 14-12 record and stringing together a stretch of 10 wins in 11 games to close the season.
He also served as general manager and senior vice president of player personnel for Phoenix.
“Beloved throughout the Suns organization and fan base, Van Arsdale held several positions with the team, including broadcaster and front office executive, following his 12-year NBA career,” the Suns wrote in their statement. “Our thoughts are with his friends and family, including his twin brother and Suns teammate, Tom, during this difficult time.”
