CHICAGO — It took first-year Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott 77 games to draw his first technical foul.
It’s about time.
“I’ve been waiting all season for him to get one,” Suns forward Royce O’Neale said after Saturday’s practice at Chicago Hope Academy. “I think it was right timing. Moments like those help us get a boost of energy. Just shows that he got our back in every situation.”
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Ott picked up his first career technical foul in the second half of Thursday’s 127-107 road loss April 2 against the Charlotte Hornets.
“I was (surprised), but we need that, though,” Suns guard Jalen Green said. “That fires us up at a team. We didn’t get the same result we wanted, but overall, that got the guys going for sure.”
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) passes the ball during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) handles the ball against Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) brings the ball up court against Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) brings the ball up court against Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns Head Coach Jordan Ott during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) sets the play against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) handles the ball defended by Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa DiabatŽ (14) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
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Phoenix Suns take on Charlotte Hornets in road matchup
Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) handles the ball against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
The Suns (42-35) conclude a four-game road trip Sunday, April 5, against the Chicago Bulls (29-48) at United Center as they look to end a two-game skid.
“We can talk about defense, I think our defense slipped in Charlotte,” Ott said. “Night-to-night, it’s a different thing. Offensively, we struggled in the fourth quarter at Orlando. The communication piece is the only way to speed this thing up. We know we’re up against the clock a little bit as far as how many games are left with these guys.”
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Ott has spent this season trying to earn the respect of the referees, but he just couldn’t let that offensive basket interference on Hornets big Moussa Diabate slide.
The original call was defensive goaltending on Suns big Oso Ighodaro.
Visibly upset, Ott used a coach’s challenge and expressed his frustration, which led to referee Nick Buchert hitting him with the tech.
“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE (EXPLETIVE) YOU’RE DOING,” Ott screamed in the game.
Ott won the challenge as the call was overturned to basket interference on Diabate, but having to burn a timeout for something he felt was obvious infuriated him.
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“I thought it was an easy call to make,” Ott said. “Their players showed their cards what they thought it was, too. I thought it was an incorrect call.”
Green picked up his first tech of the season in the second quarter as part of a double technical foul with Hornets guard Josh Green with 8:34 left in the first half.
“He gave me a cheap little jab,” Green said.
Phoenix Suns Head Coach Jordan Ott during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
Then Ott drew his first career tech with 7:57 remaining in the third quarter.
“You want to earn your respect in this league,” Ott said. “I understand my place as a first-year head coach. Every day, I’m trying to earn it. I think we’re a newer group. We’ve got to earn it ourselves and I know it’s a hard job (to officiate).”
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O’Neale thought Ott was going to draw that career first tech earlier this season.
“It’s been a couple of games in the moment,” O’Neale said. “It just didn’t happen.”
It has now.
“He’s on top of the refs to make sure they control the game,” O’Neale added.
Phoenix Suns Head Coach Jordan Ott talks with his team at a timeout during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, on April 2, 2026.
The Suns are now looking for a much-needed win here to establish some momentum heading into the end of the regular season.
“We’ve had more and more conversations about what we want this thing to look like as we end this regular season and into the playoffs,” Ott said. “What can best help our group? It’s not just the starters, it’s, you start a group, you bring guys off the bench. It’s who is playing, it’s how we’re playing is much more important than the five minutes to start the game.”
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The Suns are 3-8 in their past 11 games.
“I think everything is on the table,” Ott continued. “We’ve got to find what’s best for our group. We kind of have our identity in how we play and how we win. Now, the next thing, as we get healthy, is who to play. The starting group is a part of that.”
Phoenix is seventh in the West, but it’s still mathematically alive for the sixth seed.
The Suns trail the Minnesota Timberwolves (46-31) by four games. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the T-Wolves, who have dropped their past two games.
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: Suns players happy first-year coach got first technical foul