The 1968-69 season marked the inaugural campaign for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. As an expansion team, the Suns faced the expected struggles of a new franchise, finishing their debut season with a record of 16-66. This placed them at the bottom of the Western Division, reflective of the challenges typical for expansion teams in establishing competitive footing in the league.
Under the guidance of head coach Johnny Kerr, the Suns’ roster was largely composed of players acquired through the expansion draft and the 1968 NBA Draft. A key figure in their lineup was Dick Van Arsdale, who emerged as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 21 points per game. His performance was a highlight in an otherwise tough season, earning him a spot in the NBA All-Star Game.
Despite their struggles, the Suns managed to record some notable wins, including a victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in their first game. Alvan Adams, another bright spot for Phoenix, showed promise for the future with solid contributions. The team played their home games at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, quickly earning a dedicated fan base despite their record.
The 1968-69 season set the foundation for the Suns’ future development. While victories were limited, the experience gained by the roster and coaching staff during this formative year would be instrumental in shaping the franchise’s trajectory in subsequent seasons. The Suns’ journey from expansion woes to competitiveness would become a significant storyline in the following years.
- Regular Season Record: 16-66
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats for 1968-69 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Gail Goodrich | 81 | 23.8 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Van Arsdale | 80 | 21.0 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jim Fox | 51 | 13.8 | 13.3 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Snyder | 81 | 12.1 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| McCoy McLemore | 31 | 11.8 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| George Wilson | 41 | 11.6 | 12.1 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Gary Gregor | 80 | 11.1 | 8.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Stan McKenzie | 80 | 9.3 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Bob Warlick | 63 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dave Lattin | 68 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Neil Johnson | 80 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Rod Knowles | 8 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ed Biedenbach | 7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Al Hairston | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Phoenix Suns 1968-69 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1968-69 season for the Phoenix Suns.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1968 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 116-107 | |
| Oct 20, 1968 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 134-122 | |
| Oct 22, 1968 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 109-101 | |
| Oct 24, 1968 | vs. New York Knicks | W 109-92 | |
| Oct 27, 1968 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 123-100 | |
| Oct 30, 1968 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 115-108 | |
| Oct 31, 1968 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 112-103 | |
| Nov 03, 1968 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-109 | |
| Nov 04, 1968 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 119-108 | |
| Nov 10, 1968 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 130-128 | |
| Nov 14, 1968 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 111-109 | |
| Nov 15, 1968 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 128-124 | |
| Nov 17, 1968 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 130-98 | |
| Nov 19, 1968 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 126-110 | |
| Nov 22, 1968 | @ Boston Celtics | L 133-106 | |
| Nov 23, 1968 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-112 | |
| Nov 26, 1968 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 126-119 | |
| Nov 27, 1968 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 125-111 | |
| Nov 29, 1968 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 124-106 | |
| Nov 30, 1968 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 100-96 | |
| Dec 02, 1968 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-108 | |
| Dec 03, 1968 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-108 | |
| Dec 04, 1968 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 126-97 | |
| Dec 06, 1968 | @ San Diego Rockets | L 117-106 | |
| Dec 08, 1968 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 121-99 | |
| Dec 10, 1968 | @ New York Knicks | L 111-106 | |
| Dec 11, 1968 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 143-123 | |
| Dec 13, 1968 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 130-123 | |
| Dec 14, 1968 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 123-118 | |
| Dec 15, 1968 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 119-101 | |
| Dec 17, 1968 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 145-128 | |
| Dec 18, 1968 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 123-114 | |
| Dec 21, 1968 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 131-117 | |
| Dec 22, 1968 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 127-116 | |
| Dec 25, 1968 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-99 | |
| Dec 26, 1968 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 119-118 | |
| Dec 28, 1968 | vs. San Diego Rockets | L 136-126 | |
| Dec 30, 1968 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 120-118 | |
| Jan 01, 1969 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 93-87 | |
| Jan 03, 1969 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 121-104 | |
| Jan 04, 1969 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 103-92 | |
| Jan 05, 1969 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 97-96 | |
| Jan 07, 1969 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 116-112 | |
| Jan 09, 1969 | vs. New York Knicks | L 134-120 | |
| Jan 11, 1969 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 118-107 | |
| Jan 16, 1969 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 112-107 | |
| Jan 17, 1969 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 112-107 | |
| Jan 19, 1969 | vs. San Diego Rockets | L 136-118 | |
| Jan 22, 1969 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 125-107 | |
| Jan 24, 1969 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 117-106 | |
| Jan 25, 1969 | @ San Diego Rockets | L 133-120 | |
| Jan 26, 1969 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 117-93 | |
| Jan 29, 1969 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 111-107 | |
| Feb 02, 1969 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 122-121 | |
| Feb 04, 1969 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 125-116 | |
| Feb 06, 1969 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 124-103 | |
| Feb 07, 1969 | @ San Diego Rockets | L 130-119 | |
| Feb 08, 1969 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-104 | |
| Feb 09, 1969 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 134-116 | |
| Feb 12, 1969 | @ New York Knicks | L 112-105 | |
| Feb 14, 1969 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 128-123 | |
| Feb 16, 1969 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 125-113 | |
| Feb 18, 1969 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-110 | |
| Feb 20, 1969 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 124-121 | |
| Feb 21, 1969 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 133-121 | |
| Feb 22, 1969 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 124-100 | |
| Feb 23, 1969 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-103 | |
| Feb 25, 1969 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-99 | |
| Feb 26, 1969 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 104-97 | |
| Feb 28, 1969 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 121-117 | |
| Mar 01, 1969 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 119-118 | |
| Mar 04, 1969 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 141-122 | |
| Mar 06, 1969 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 125-117 | |
| Mar 07, 1969 | @ New York Knicks | L 119-87 | |
| Mar 09, 1969 | vs. San Diego Rockets | W 146-133 | |
| Mar 10, 1969 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 140-121 | |
| Mar 11, 1969 | @ San Diego Rockets | L 116-106 | |
| Mar 15, 1969 | vs. San Diego Rockets | L 141-124 | |
| Mar 17, 1969 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 119-95 | |
| Mar 19, 1969 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 117-110 | |
| Mar 21, 1969 | vs. New York Knicks | L 139-104 | |
| Mar 23, 1969 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 128-118 |