PHOENIX — He's been dubbed by many in the Grand Canyon state as the "Godfather" of Arizona sports. His guidance as a former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks has solidified his spot in the fabled halls of Arizona sports lore.
Jerry Colangelo is a vital figure in the world of basketball, not just Arizona sports. And you can't mention the success of the Suns franchise without Colangelo's name.
The Suns history in the Valley has been a road of ups and downs, and the recent headlines are no different.
On the court, the team has returned to postseason prominence thanks to stellar performances from stars like Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. While the wins have been a welcome addition to the Arizona sports landscape, the franchise has also been mired in negative news surrounding the investigation of owner Robert Sarver.
"I feel badly for everyone involved, that extends with Robert," Colangelo said. "I wish it would go away and it's about to go away."
Colangelo brought the Suns to the Valley, so he said he's always keeping up with what is going on with the organization. He was sharing his thoughts on the Suns while at a Phoenix event discussing integrity at the forefront of all teams, businesses and organizations.
Along with the Sarver investigation, Colangelo also talked about the impeding sale of the Suns. He said the interest in the team will be there and the organization has grown since he purchased the team for $44 million in the late 80s.
"There going to be great interest in acquiring the Phoenix Suns franchise," Colangelo stated. "The NBA isn't finished rising."
He went on to say that with the incomes and values of the NBA franchises increasing, there won't be a short on interested parties.
In 2004, Colangelo sold the Suns for $400 million. Now, many are expecting the Suns sale to be north of $4 billion.
"It a very valuable asset," Colangelo said about the Suns. "There are only 30 assets like this in the NBA."
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