Coin flips are a sensitive subject when it comes to the Suns. Had they called tails in 1969, the league’s eventual all-time leading scorer and six-time champion would have started his career in Phoenix purple instead of Milwaukee green.
Under Alcindor’s ominous what-if shadow, Coin Flip Two is the forgotten story of how the Suns recovered in spectacular fashion.
Phoenix’s opponent in Coin Flip II was Seattle. Between them, the two fledgling NBA clubs sported a combined 69-177 record. The league determined they were the most deserving candidates for another prize talent: Connie Hawkins.
From his days as a high school and playground prodigy in New York through winning the ABA’s inaugural championship and MVP trophies, “The Hawk” had become the stuff of legend.