Phoenix Suns' No. 1 pick will define the organization for years to come

After the Suns lost a coin flip for Lew Alcindor on the afternoon of March 19, 1969, General Manager Jerry Colangelo drove the Valley streets for hours.

“It’s not the end of the world,” he told The Arizona Republic at the time, but it seemed that way.

Alcindor, of course, became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and won six NBA titles. Nearly 50 years later, the Suns are still waiting on their first championship.

But, maybe, just maybe, their fortunes are changing.

The NBA draft lottery balls finally fell their way May 15. The prize – and the anticipation leading up to the moment it was announced the Suns would have the No. 1 pick for the first time in franchise history – so overwhelmed General Manager Ryan…