Paul Westphal, icon of the Phoenix Suns who took the team to the NBA Finals twice, passed away at the age of 70, announced the Suns on Saturday.

"Westy will not be immortalized for just playing basketball. He will be remembered for how he lived his life, and how he treated others. Rest In Peace, Westy," read the team's statement.

Westphal joined the NBA from the University of Southern California in 1972 when the Boston Celtics selected him with the 10th pick in the draft. In his second season, he won the championship as a member of the bench unit.

In 1975, Westphal was traded to the Suns where he truly took off as a player. After averaging 22.6 points per game in the following five seasons, he was named All-Star four times, All-NBA First Team three times and Second Team once. More importantly, Westphal helped the Suns make their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976. By the way, they lost 4-2 to the Celtics led by his former teammate John Havlicek and coach Tommy Heinsohn.

Having left his footprints on the Seattle SuperSonics and the New York Knicks in the following years, Westphal retired as a player in 1984 with the Suns, which also hang his No. 44 jersey in their arena. In 1988, he became assistant coach under Cotton Fitzsimmons. Four years later, he took over to become the head coach and led the Suns to make the Finals again with the 1993 with the regular season MVP Charles Barkley. Unfortunately, their opponents were the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan who then put up the greatest Finals performance in NBA history. The Suns lost 4-2 in the series.

"Westy will forever be remembered as a prominent Valley sports legend both on and off the court. He built an illustrious career as both a player and a coach. His legacy ranks among the most quintessential basketball icons of all time," said the Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said in a statement.

"There may be just a handful of people who have as much influence and significance on the history of the Phoenix Suns. All he accomplished as a player and as a coach. Off the court, he was a gentleman, a family man, great moral character. He represented the Suns the way you want every player to represent your franchise,' said former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo in a statement.

Westphal put an end to his coaching career in 2016 after he left the Brooklyn Nets. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018 and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

In August 2020, Westphal was diagnosed with brain cancer.

"I'm so sad to hear that we lost Paul Westphal. I loved watching him play at USC and in Boston and Phoenix! I was blessed to have known him as Coach and as a man of God. He was one of my all time favorite people I've met in this business??God bless Cindy and her family❤️#RIP #444, posted Celtics general manager Danny Ainge who played under Westphal in 1993.

"My prayers and condolences go out to Cindy Westphal and their family on the passing of fellow Hall of Famer Paul. He was not only a great basketball player, but a great person. He will be missed," tweeted Rick Barry, one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.