The Phoenix Suns’ search for their next head coach has come to an end with the hiring of Jordan Ott.
The Suns‘ fanbase will hope that Ott’s arrival will also bring some much-needed stability in that department as he is the team’s fourth head coach in the last four seasons.
Monty Williams, Frank Vogel, and Mike Budenholzer all failed to bring glory to the Suns despite having a talented roster at their disposal.
But coming back to Ott, many may be wondering just who the new Suns head coach is. Well, let’s take a look at Ott’s career before joining Phoenix.
Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty ImagesJordan Ott’s NBA coaching experience
Prior to joining the Suns as their 23rd head coach in franchise history, the 40-year-old was an assistant coach for three franchises over seven years.
From 2018 to 2020, Ott was an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets. After that, he enjoyed a two-year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in the same role.
Most recently, Ott was part of Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson’s staff for the 2024-25 NBA season.
Evidently, Ott has never been an NBA head coach, but his stints as an assistant will certainly help him manage a franchise like the Suns.
What makes him a good choice for the Phoenix Suns
As of now, the Suns have a Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. While Durant is reportedly expected to leave the team this summer, there’s a possibility that Ott’s hiring may make him reconsider the decision.
After all, Durant was also a member of the Nets when Ott served as the team’s assistant coach. But coming to more important factors, Ott has been described as a student of the game, per league sources to The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin.
In addition, the same sources also confirmed that Ott has sound offensive and defensive philosophies. The cherry on top is the fact that Ott is viewed as an innovative head coach and the Suns could certainly use someone of his caliber behind the clipboard.
Another important thing to keep in mind is the fact that Booker had a major involvement in the 40-year-old’s appointment as the head coach.
Suns franchise cornerstone Devin Booker was involved in the search process during the final stages and stamped Ott as his top choice as well, sources said. Ott has been on NBA coaching staffs with the Hawks, Nets, Lakers and Cavaliers since 2012. https://t.co/zMNBy9lHrA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2025
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Considering Booker is the face of the franchise, it’s certainly good to have a head coach of the superstar’s choice. At the end of the day, only time will tell if the Suns will finally have a long-term head coach or if Ott will also get fired after a single season.