Cotton Fitzsimmons Memorabilia & Collectibles

About Cotton Fitzsimmons Memorabilia & Collectibles

Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons was a popular college and NBA basketball coach. He hails from Hannibal, Missouri. While still a student, he also played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal and Midwestern State University, Texas. He started coaching the Phoenix Suns and most of the team's success was credited to him.

In 1956, his first job as a coach was at Moberly Junior College. He stayed there for eleven years, proud to be able to achieve two national junior college championships (NJCAA) for the team as a coach both in 1966 and 1967. According to sources, the Kansas State University hired him again as the head basketball coach two seasons. After this tenure, he went to the NBA.

In 1970, Fitzsimmons replaced the Suns coach Jerry Colangelo taking the team to their first season to be able to win. Two years after, in 1972, he also became the coach for the Atlanta Hawks only to return to Phoenix in 1975. He was a permanent resident then but coaching the Hawks still continued. Sources say that for Fitzsimmons, one of the chief reasons to coach the Hawks team was the chance in training Pete Maravich too. He has also coached the Buffalo Braves and the Kansas City Kings where he earned the title of "Coach of the Year" award in the NBA.

Sadly, Fitzsimmons health was critical and lung cancer invaded him in his old years. Combined with a brain strokes, his critical status and failing condition at a local hospital was known to the public. Fitzsimmons died in 2004. Suns fans are very acquainted with Fitzsimmons. Autographed or hand signed basketball cards, autographed game used items and NBA cards can be found in sportsmemorabilia.com.