20 JUNE 2024 D ick Van Arsdale began dribbling a basketball when he was five years old. His grandfather put up a hoop on a dirt pad in his backyard; the rest, as they say, is history. That makeshift playground would be the start of a long and illustrious career in the NBA. Van Arsdale has an identical twin brother, Tom, and he, too, went on to play professional basketball. Together, they comprise an impressive chapter in the rich folklore of Indiana sports. “Growing up, we battled all the time on the court. Tom would win one day, and me the next,” the 81-year-old Arcadia resident remembers, adding, “We smacked one another pretty good.” The twins played at Emmerich Manual High School, known for its basketball prowess. In 1961, they were both named “Indiana Mr. Basketball,” an annual award given to the top high school player in the state. Though they were recruited by numerous schools throughout the Midwest, it was never really a question of where they would end up. “My mother was a tough woman, and though she tried to be patient with the recruiters and scouts, my brother and I always knew we wanted to play for the Indiana Hoosiers,” Van Arsdale said. And play they did, ultimately named to multiple All- American teams and then being drafted into the NBA. Van Arsdale was selected by the New York Knicks and was named to the NBA All-Rookie team in 1966 before being drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 1968 expansion. Van Arsdale had nearly as many nicknames as he did free throws – he was one of the league’s most accomplished – and they ranged from “Van” to “The Flying Dutchman” to “The Original Sun.” He would spend 40 years with the franchise as an eventual Ring-of-Honor inductee, head of player personnel, general manager, interim head coach, and, for many memorable years, the color commentator alongside the legendary broadcaster Al McCoy. “When I got the call from Jerry Colangelo being told I was going to Phoenix, I was shocked. My wife was crying because we didn’t want to leave New York. But we loaded up the car and headed west,” Van Arsdale recalled. “I was fortunate. I had a great run, and to top it all off, Tom and I finished up together, playing for the Suns in 1977.” Van Arsdale’s days are slower-paced now but still full. He and his brother own a retail store in Old Town Scottsdale called Van Arsdale ART, full of their original paintings and other creations. Van Arsdale can be found most days sitting out front, sketching and painting while enjoying a cigar. People walk by, unaware they are passing a local legend. Van Arsdale and his wife have two children and have lived in Arcadia for 15 years. “We just love it. There are lots of really nice people,” he said, recalling a special phone call that preceded their move to the Valley. “I remember Bill Shover calling me after I was traded to the Suns. He used to be with an Indiana newspaper but was then living in Phoenix. He reassured me that everything was going to be all right.” That advice turned out to be the understatement of a lifetime. Dick Van Arsdale              OWN A PIECE OF ARCADIA HISTORY! Two Properties Tucked Away from 40th in the Historic Gated Enclave of Dos Puertas! 4328 N 40TH ST, PHOENIX, AZ 85018 2 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,033 Sq Ft Redesigned Kitchen Cozy Fireplace Spanish Inspired Courtyard 4320 N 40TH ST, PHOENIX, AZ 85018 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 2,681 Sq Ft Refreshed Interior Vintage Spanish Influences Soaring Ceilings For More Information, Contact Leon Dang: LEON DANG Real Estate Professional 602.571.6121 Leon@TheBrokery.com