New Suns Coach Has Strong Words After Officially Joining Team
New Suns Coach Has Strong Words After Officially Joining Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Jordan Ott, 40, was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, taking over a team that finished the 2024–25 season with a 36-46 record, missing out on the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
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Ott began his NBA coaching career as a video coordinator with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013 under then-head coach Mike Budenholzer. He went on to serve as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2022, working under Kenny Atkinson, Jacque Vaughn, and Steve Nash. In 2022, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers as an assistant in Darvin Ham's staff before spending the 2024–25 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he reunited with Atkinson.
Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott during an introductory press conferenceMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
After a disappointing conclusion to the Phoenix Suns' 2025 season, the team is expected to enter a rebuilding phase. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was dismissed shortly after the season ended, and the futures of All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker remain uncertain amid ongoing trade speculation.
With changes underway at every level of the organization, newly appointed head coach Jordan Ott outlined his vision during his introductory press conference. 'This is an exciting opportunity because, first off, the players. It's always the players,' Ott said. 'And it's the actual organization. I know that I have the support from above me that we can do this step by step. To do it the right way, to build this thing out.'
Ott emphasized that his approach will be rooted in accountability and consistent effort, both from himself and the roster.
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'But I'm always going to bank on who I am as a person,' he said. 'We're going to demand that you work. That's where it's going to start.'
'We're going to help them at every phase of their game,' Ott said. 'We're going to help develop them, get to a new level that they didn't think they could get to. And it's going to take all of us.'
'Over time, it's the guys that have high character,' the newly minted head coach added. 'That's very important to me and to us.'
Related: Mike Budenholzer Expected to Be Considered for Western Conference Coaching Job
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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