Al McCoy, voice of the Phoenix Suns, dies at the age of 91

Al McCoy, who was the voice of the Phoenix Suns for 51 years, died on Saturday, the NBA team said in a statement.

He was 91 years old.

McCoy commentated his last game for the Phoenix Suns on May 11, 2023.

He took over in 1972, making it the longest-running broadcast job for a sports commentator with a single team in NBA history.

McCoy will always be remembered for his “Shazam!” chant when the Suns hit a three-pointer. His long list of McCoy-isms included “Oh, brother!” in times of unrest or confusion, “Wham Bam Slam!” when a Suns player dunked the ball, and “Zing Go The Strings!” and “Twine Time!” when a player sank a jumper.

Al McCoy became the voice of the Phoenix Suns

McCoy had a brilliant career, winning the Naismith Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2007. He was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, the Iowa Hall of Pride in 2015 and the Suns' Ring of Honor in 2017.

The Suns honored McCoy on April 9, 2023, giving the Hall of Famer a chance to say goodbye to the oldest fan base in Valley sports. He remained on call throughout the postseason before hanging up the headset.

“As I have said so many times recently, 51 years have passed and it has been a great time,” he said that evening.

“Thank you for allowing me to tell the Suns story for 51 great years.”

“As a father, he taught us the value of respect, loyalty, hard work and love – both on and off the field,” the McCoy family said in a statement. “His passion, dedication and kindness touched countless lives, and while he may no longer be here, his influence will be felt for generations to come.”

McCoy's last notable moment in the spotlight came in May, when he helped the Suns welcome new head coach and Arizona native Mike Budenholzer to Phoenix.

“I had the privilege of having Al McCoy as my narrator for the first eight years of my career,” said Devin Booker. “He was inducted into Ring of Honor in my second season and that's when I really realized what a special talent he was. And as my career has progressed, I've learned what an even more special person he was. We will miss Al and I'm so glad our legacies are forever intertwined in Phoenix.”

After McCoy's retirement, Jon Bloom took over the role of the Suns' live radio commentator.

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