INDIANAPOLIS — Dick Van Arsdale, a three-time All-Star who became the first Phoenix Suns player after being selected by the franchise in the 1968 expansion draft, has died. He was 81.
The Suns announced Van Arsdale's death in a statement on Monday and a team spokesman confirmed that the franchise had received the news from his family. A cause of death wasn't disclosed.
The 6-foot-5 Van Arsdale and his twin brother, Tom, shared Indiana's Mr. Basketball honors at Manual High School in Indianapolis in 1961 before heading to Indiana University. The brothers were named co-MVPs of the Hoosiers in each of their final two college seasons, both received All-American honors in 1965 and went on to play in the NBA before retiring together with the Phoenix Suns in 1977.
He averaged 17.2 points per game and grabbed more than 700 rebounds in 72 career games for the Hoosiers.
Dick Van Arsdale played his first three NBA seasons with the New York Knicks before being selected by the Suns with their first pick in the 1968 expansion draft. He was an All-Star during his first three seasons in the desert, averaging a career-high 21.9 points during the 1970-71 season.
Van Arsdale was part of the franchise's 1976 team that advanced to the NBA Finals before losing to the Boston Celtics and retired as the franchise's all-time scoring leader.
He is survived by his twin, who was also a three-time NBA All-Star and played with his brother in Phoenix during the 1976-77 season.
After his playing days, Dick Van Arsdale held several positions with the franchise, including broadcaster and front-office executive.
