By Jim Brewer, Fastbreak Magazine
Originally published: December, 1994
When Cotton Fitzsimmons stepped down as head coach in April of 1992, there was no question to whom the reins of the Suns were being passed.
Paul Westphal had spent several seasons sitting on the Suns' bench at Cotton's right hand. His apprenticeship had been a long and patient one — one that hopefully would prepare him for the unique challenge of head coaching in the NBA.
Now in his third year as the coach of the Suns, Westphal has craftily pieced together the talent available to him the last two seasons and endured the lofty expectations that naturally accompany such talent.