Who is Steve Hetzel? Phoenix Suns head coach candidate viewed as 'unflappable'

Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel is viewed in NBA circles as someone who “deeply cares” about seeing players and coaches succeed.

There’s also a toughness about Hetzel that makes him the ideal person to have in the trenches of competition, league sources say.

One source called Hetzel “unflappable” in describing his composure and calm demeanor.

Hetzel is one of several candidates for the Phoenix Suns head coaching vacancy along with Cleveland Cavaliers assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego and Suns assistant David Fizdale, league sources confirmed to The Arizona Republic this week.

This will be Phoenix’s fourth head coach in four seasons. Team owner Mat Ishbia has fired Monty Williams, Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer after each of the last three seasons.

The Suns finished 36-46 this past season under Budenholzer in missing the playoffs and suffering their first losing season since 2019-20.

Like many coaches, Hetzel started his NBA career in the video room, serving as an assistant video coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs (2005-06).

Hetzel was the Cavs’ video coordinator from 2006 to 2009. He then became an assistant coach involved with player development for the Detroit Pistons (2009-13) before landing a head coaching job with the G League’s Canton Charge.

Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez was his assistant in Canton.

The two connected, have been tight ever since and are now working together in Brooklyn.

“I want nothing but success for him,” Hetzel said about Fernandez in a Nets video posted on their social media page last month. “I want us to have success. I want the Brooklyn Nets to have success, but I want him to be successful because he’s like a brother to me.”

Hetzel worked for three more NBA teams an assistant – Charlotte Hornets (2014-18), Orlando Magic (2018-21) and Portland Trail Blazers (2021-24) – before reuniting with Fernandez in Brooklyn.

“The friendship, the loyalty is there because we know it,” Fernandez said in the video. “We kept that and now work-wise, I can see how much he’s grown. He’s done different things, I’ve done different things as well and I think that makes us even better as a group.”

Fernandez brought in Hetzel last year. The Nets won just 26 games last season in Fernandez’s first season as head coach.

Brooklyn is clearly in a rebuild, but Hetzel finds himself in the running for a head coaching position in Phoenix. League sources say Hetzel “didn’t skip steps” in his journey.

He’s viewed as someone who builds and maintains relationships on all levels, from front office to coaches and players, doing so in an authentic fashion.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Nets assistant Steve Hetzel candidate for Phoenix Suns head coach job

Who is Steve Hetzel? Phoenix Suns head coach candidate viewed as ‘unflappable’

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