It seems like NBA stars are all out in the field supporting their favorite football teams. It was Stephen and Ayesha Curry earlier, down at the Allegiant Stadium, supporting his beloved Carolina Panthers. And now, Devin Booker follows suit as he was spotted enjoying a game between the Cardinals and Lions. A Michigan native, D-Book, is a huge Detroit sports fan. So, it wasn’t that surprising to see him down at the State Farm Stadium. It was his (or theirs, depending on the way you look at it) lucky day, amidst a period of mourning.
via Imago
That’s because the Lions defeated the Cardinals 20-13 in a stuck-in-the-mud affair. It was a shocking loss given Arizona, behind Kyler Murray, showcased one of the NFL’s best offenses in the past two games. Suffice it to say, it was a forgettable day for the Cardinals and their fans. But for the Lions and DBook, it was a truly memorable day. And the Suns superstar required some cheering up too.
Devin was fresh off the saddening news of the death of the Suns’ legendary announcer, Al McCoy, at 91. The Iowa native was a well-known voice in the field, having called for pretty much all sports. Hence, when the Cardinals honored McCoy with a moment of silence before the game, there’s no doubt that Booker was transported back to those memorable moments with the late sportscaster. In fact, in a heartfelt tribute, Booker had written, “I had the privilege of Al McCoy narrating the first eight years of my career.”
“He was inducted into the Ring of Honor my second season, and it was then I really understood what a special talent he was. And over the course of my career, I’ve learned what an even more special person he was. We will miss Al, and I am so glad our legacies in Phoenix are forever connected,” Devin Booker wrote. That was not all, though.
Arizona’s Senior VP posted a picture of a graphic showing Al McCoy on the jumbotron. Dave Pasch, the Voice of the Cardinals, had a special tribute for Al. When rookie WR, Marvin Harrison Jr. grabbed his third touchdown of the season, Pasch invoked McCoy’s famous catchphrase of three-pointers – “Shazam”.
While this showed the impact the late sportscaster had in virtually every sport out there, perhaps his legacy will be the ‘Voice of the Suns’. And why is that?
Al McCoy, Suns’ beloved, and the NBA’s longest-tenured announcer
From Triple-A baseball games for the Phoenix Giants to minor league hockey games for the Phoenix Roadrunners to becoming the ‘Voice of the Suns,’ McCoy arrived in the Valley in 1958. But once he settled into his multi-faceted role in the Suns’ broadcasting in ’72, Al never left. In an era where broadcasting rights were sold to another station, McCoy recommended producing everything in-house.
Although the then-GM Jerry Colangelo was intrigued and loved the idea, he had doubts about its effectiveness. But after multiple broadcaster changes and competing for advertising, Colangelo gave the green signal for McCoy’s idea. And just like that, Al started his journey with Phoenix, calling the game for 51 consecutive seasons, the longest-tenured announcer ever.
Al McCoy had called his final game on May 11, 2023, after which he retired. In addition to being known as the ‘Voice of the Suns,’ he was also dubbed the “Dean of NBA Broadcasters.” As such, Al was the recipient of quite a bunch of honors.
He was inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2004, followed by the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. Most notably, Phoenix’s managing partner Robert Sarver, announced McCoy becoming the 15th member of the Suns Ring of Honor in 2016, at the age of 83.
While Al watched players come and go, the franchise faced its ups and downs; he remained there – a stable presence amidst the chaos. Although the Suns and their fans will no longer see that familiar, kind face, there’s no doubt that he will be watching over his beloved team. Rest in Power!
