In 2010-11, Green was a member of Williams first team as a head coach, averaging 8.7 points while appearing in 77 games to help New Orleans win 46 games and earn a playoff berth. He worked with Monty Williams during the 2018-19 campaign in Philadelphia. He was a First Team All-Big East selection as a senior in 1987-88 when he averaged 20.5 points and 9.1 rebounds to lead the P.J. Congrats, Kevin!. "Alvin Gentry Named Interim Head Coach by the Suns", "Suns Agree to Terms with Igor Kokokov To Become New Head Coach", "Suns Name Earl Watson Interim Head Coach", "Suns Relieve Earl Watson of Head Coaching Duties", "Suns Agree to Terms with Monty Williams To Become New Head Coach", National Basketball Association head coaches, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Phoenix_Suns_head_coaches&oldid=1092301247, Lists of National Basketball Association head coaches by team, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Spent entire NBA head coaching career with the Suns, This page was last edited on 9 June 2022, at 12:48. Whether Green finds that promotion in 2021 or later on, theres no doubt Green wont be in the assistant chair long under Williams. Green, 37, joins the Suns following three seasons as assistant coach/player development for the Golden State Warriors. Riccardo Fois, now an assistant at Arizona, and Ben Strong are no longer on the Suns staff as both were in player development in Phoenix. On April 23, 2019, the organization parted ways with head coach Igor Kokoshov after one season - 82 total games coached - with the team. He served as a player development coach and director of analysis and opposition scouting, including when Williams was the teams associate head coach in 2015-16. (Series Stats)Lost NBA Finals (2-4) versus Milwaukee Bucks Frazier, 26, comes to Phoenix after serving as a video/player development assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks this past season, helping the Bucks reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Five years later, Jeff Van Gundy still gets emotional, recalling the funeral service for Ingrid Williams, wife of Suns coach Monty Williams. PHOENIX - The Phoenix Suns today announced Head Coach Monty Williams' coaching staff, naming Willie Green, Darko Rajakovic, Mark Bryant, Randy Ayers, Larry Greer and Steve Blake as. According to Bleacher Reports Jake Fischer, Suns lead assistant Willie Green has interviewed for three head coach openings with the New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. Feb 28 @ MIN, PHO (22-11) beat MIN, 118-99, 34. Rajakovic served as the Thunders head coach at NBA Summer League in 2014 and 2015. All rights reserved. [8] Former Pelicans coach Monty Williams was hired to coach the team on May 3, 2019. He qualified for the playoffs seven times in his 12 seasons, averaging 5.2 points in 36 career playoff games (12 starts). The coaching staffs of the Suns and Heat were split among the four teams: Team Worthy, Team Payton, Team Isiah and Team Barry. Phoenix didn't have a lottery pick in the 2021 . In 2013, moved to the United States to pursue a . Something went wrong. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Green also has previous experience in New Orleans, as he played one season with the team in 2010-11, when it was the Hornets. He played alongside Chris Paul during the 2010-11 season as well. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Mar 18, PHO (26-13) lost to MIN, 119-123, 40. He led the ODAC by averaging 25.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks as a senior and, as a junior, set the single-game NCAA Division III tournament record with 59 points in a triple-overtime victory. Feb 19 @ NOP, PHO (18-10) beat NOP, 132-114, 29. He worked as an assistant coach with the Warriors when the team won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. Im November und Dezember 2021 blieben die Suns 18 Spiele in Folge ungeschlagen und stellten . SUNS Motivator: Phoenix Suns hiring Bryan Gates as an assistant coach after Willie Green departure Born in Anchorage, Alaska and the father of triplets, Gates has a special bond with Suns. Originally the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft by Portland, Bryant played four seasons at Seton Hall University and left the program ranked fifth in school history in total points and total rebounds. As previously reported on the HoopsHype podcast, the Wizards also interviewed several other assistant coaches, including Miami's Chris Quinn and former Hornets assistant coach Ronald. Feb 1 @ DAL, PHO (11-8) beat DAL, 109-108, 20. E-Mail: karen.marrero@nbacoaches.com. He is of Native American descent as his father is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, Suns lead assistant Willie Green has interviewed for three head coach openings with the New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, and Washington. The New Orleans Pelicans are nearing completion on a deal to hire Phoenix Suns assistant Willie Green as head coach, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Andrew Lopez. At age 44, Ingrid was killed in 2016 when her car was . [7] He was replaced by Lindsey Hunter halfway through the 201213 NBA season. In this Nov. 24, 2019, file photo, Phoenix Suns assistant coach Willie Green looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Denver Born in Hollywood, Florida, Blake completed his high school playing career at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Jack will join the Suns after a 13-year NBA career as a player from 2005-2018. Hired in 2018, Serbian coach Igor Kokokov became the first head coach born and raised outside of North America to be hired as a head coach in NBA history. In each of his first two seasons as a coach, he helped the Warriors win back-to-back NBA Championships in 2017 and 2018 before returning to the NBA Finals in 2019, and has received high praise from many in Golden States organization and beyond for his coaching knowledge and demeanor. Ayers entered coaching as a graduate assistant for two seasons at his alma mater, Miami University in Ohio, then spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point before joining Ohio States staff. In 11 total NBA seasons, he has worked for seven teams that have qualified for the postseason. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. --Brian Randle will be on a NBA bench next season as an assistant coach.The former Illinois forward has been hired by the Phoenix Suns to join Monty Williams' coaching staff for . Oops. The Suns have also added Ryan Frazier as head video coordinator. Start your online subscription. "I just don . Mar 19, PHO (27-13) beat MIN, 113-101, 42. Jan 8 @ DET, PHO (6-3) lost to DET, 105-110, 10. Coach Ruffin was born in Denver, Colorado and played for and graduated from the University of Tulsa. Feb 3 @ NOP, PHO (11-9) lost to NOP, 101-123, 27. Phoenix Suns Arena Welcome to the Valley. He joined the Suns following four seasons as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers, helping the Sixers qualify for the playoffs in each of his final three seasons with the team. The NBA Coaches Association (NBCA) is the association that represents basketball coaches in the National Basketball Association. Philadelphia announced the coaches who will join Doc Rivers this upcoming season. Steve Scalzi is coming to the Suns after coaching seven years in Oklahoma City. The full coaching staff is listed below as Phoenix opens training camp Tuesday following a runto the NBA Finals that ended losing to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pelicans will announce the hiring of Green after the 2021 NBA Finals. 10 pick in the upcoming draft and a plethora of future picks from the trades that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers and Jrue Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Ayers, 63, brings to the Suns over 35 years of coaching experience, including as an NBA and college head coach, and has most recently spent the past three seasons as a pro scout with the Brooklyn Nets. May 9 @ LAL, PHO (48-20) lost to LAL, 110-123, 69. Young also served as the Sixers head coach at NBA Summer League in 2018. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. He has been a NBA assistant coach since 2009 and served on Williams staff for each of their five seasons together in New Orleans from 2010-2015. Please enter a valid email and try again. He has Phoenix ranked in the top 10 in opponents points per game and defensive rating. He would replace Stan Van Gundy, who left the Pelicans after just one season. Jack played two seasons with Williams as his head coach in New Orleans, teaming with Chris Paul to make the playoffs in 2010-11 and averaging a career-high 15.6 points in 2011-12. [5] pay top-dollar for . Its a tremendous collection of bright basketball minds who are also outstanding people, and we are already hard at work.. He played four seasons at Bucknell University from 2012-2016, helping lead the Bison to three postseason appearances including a 2013 NCAA tournament bid and two NIT berths. "At the beginning of the season, even last season, Coach . Do Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving offset Suns trouble with Mavericks? He averaged career highs of 11.1 points and 7.3 rebounds with Westchester in 2014-15, then was a member of the New York Knicks team at NBA Summer League 2015. A graduate of Boston College, he was a student assistant for the mens basketball team during the winningest period in the Eagles school history from 2002-2006. Championship +4000, Over-Under Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Apr 15, PHO (40-15) beat SAC, 122-114, 56. [4] Cotton Fitzsimmons, Mike D'Antoniand Monty Williamsare the only coaches to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Awardwith the Suns. Rajakovic received a basketball coaching degree from the Belgrade Basketball Academy in 2004 and a degree in sports management from Alfa BK University in Belgrade in 2006. As the Suns look to RUN IT BACK and bring back much of the team that just went to the NBA Finals, familiarity seems to be a common theme as Williams surrounds himself with faces he has worked with before. According to an article from The Washington Post published on New Year's Day 2019, NBA assistant coach salaries range from $100,000 to over $1 million depending on coaching experience. We present them here for purely educational purposes. NBCA Director of Communications Feb 24, PHO (20-11) lost to CHO, 121-124, 32. 2021-Present Phoenix Suns (Assistant Coach Monty Williams), 2020-2021 Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Assistant Coach Tom Hankins), 2014-2020 New Orleans Pelicans (Assistant Coach Alvin Gentry & Monty Williams), Karen Marrero Most recently, Jack averaged 8.9 points in 15 appearances for the NBA G League Ignite during the 2021 NBA G League season held at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida this past February. Ayers also spent two seasons as an assistant coach with both the Orlando Magic (2005-2007) and Washington Wizards (2007-2009), and another season as an assistant coach with Philadelphia in 2009-10, before joining Williams staff in New Orleans. Born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, Ayers is a member of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. The Phoenix Suns, as they attempt to defend their Western Conference Championship, will have a slew of new faces assisting head coach Monty Williams for the 2021-22 season. He spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State before elevating to the programs head coaching position. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was a member of Larry Browns staff with the 76ers from 1997-2003, where he coached both Williams and Bryant, then was Greens first NBA head coach with Philadelphia in 2003-04. Apr 25 @ BRK, PHO (42-18) lost to BRK, 119-128, 61. The Suns rapid rise will lead to some franchises trying to poach important pieces away wherever they can. National Basketball Coaches Association release: Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams is the 2021 recipient of the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced today. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Dec 26 @ SAC, PHO (1-1) lost to SAC, 103-106, 3. The Pelicans went 31-41 in 2020-21, a disappointing result after the season started with playoff aspirations. The native of Silver Spring, Maryland worked as an equity capital markets analyst from 2016-2017 before his time at George Mason. 2020-21 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 51-21, Finished 2nd in NBA Western Conference Coach: Monty Williams (51-21) Executive: James Jones PTS/G: 115.3 (7th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 109.5 (7th of 30) SRS: 5.67 (3rd of 30) Pace: 97.2 (26th of 30) KTAR. He averaged 10.8 points and 4.6 assists over 867 career regular season games with Portland, Indiana, Toronto, New Orleans, Golden State, Cleveland, Brooklyn and New York. Find out more. Gross spent the last two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers as an assistant for video and player development while Vinson will be entering his second year with the Suns, previously assisting with player development and video. Apr 21 @ PHI, PHO (42-16) beat PHI, 116-113, 59. newsletter, Phoenixs new twin towers have flashed greatness early, REPORT: Suns hiring Pistons executive Josh Bartelstein as new CEO, Suns JAM Session Podcast: Suns (35-29) @ Bulls Post Game Pod. PHOENIX The Phoenix Suns today announced Head Coach Monty Williams coaching staff, naming Willie Green, Darko Rajakovic, Mark Bryant, Randy Ayers, Larry Greer and Steve Blake as assistant coaches, and Riccardo Fois and Ben Strong as player development coaches. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). A 12-year NBA veteran as a player, Green averaged 8.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 731 regular season games (297 starts) with Philadelphia, New Orleans, Atlanta, the LA Clippers and Orlando from 2003-2015. He then spentsix years (2014-20) in New Orleans as he joined the franchise working in player development for Williams. Now the Liked by Steve Scalzi Experience. A member of the coaching staff on nine teams to qualify for the playoffs, Ayers was an assistant coach on Philadelphias Eastern Conference Championship team in 2001. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Blake played in all 138 games during his college career and remains Marylands all-time leader in games started (136) and assists (972) with 200 more assists than second place. Phoenix Suns; Grndung: 1968 Geschichte: Phoenix Suns seit 1968 Stadion: . Born in Manassas, Virginia, Strong grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Apr 19 @ MIL, PHO (41-16) beat MIL, 128-127, 58. A native of Detroit, he won Horizon League Player of the Year as a senior in 2003 and helped the Titans to two NIT appearances in 2001 and 2002, including a trip to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in 2001. Bryant, 54, played two seasons with the Suns from 1996-1998, posting career highs of 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 55.3% shooting in 1996-97. In 2011-12, served as a seasonal assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tokai men's basketball, the year the team won a national title. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. [4] In his first year as associate head coach, Young became the Suns' acting head coach for a four game stretch in late December/ early January with Monty Williams in health and safety protocols. Young served as an assistant coach in his first season with the Suns in 2020-21 after four seasons as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers. Blake, 39, comes to Phoenix after spending the last two seasons working for the Portland Trail Blazers. Mar 31, PHO (33-14) beat CHI, 121-116, 49. Gates served as an assistant coach on Williams staff for each of their five seasons in New Orleans. Overall, the 6-9 power forward averaged 6.0 points on 52.2% shooting and 4.1 rebounds in 111 games (40 starts) with Phoenix, in addition to 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in eight playoff games. Ja Morant will be away from the Memphis Grizzlies for at least two games as the NBA investigates a social media post after he livestreamed himself holding what appeared to be a gun at a club. Green, who played in the NBA from 2003-2015, already has a very successful track record as an assistant coach. He first joined OKC as an assistant coach for their G League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers. Feb 22, PHO (20-10) beat POR, 132-100, 31. The Phoenix Suns on Friday announced the addition of assistant coach Michael Ruffin, plus Jamal Gross and Corey Vinson to the title of player development coach/video coordinator. May 13, PHO (49-21) beat POR, 118-117, 71. He has since been replaced by former Suns player Jeff Hornacek. John MacLeodis the franchise's all-time leader in coaching years and games won, winning the most regular-season and playoff games. Def Rtg: 111.3 (9th of 30) Before his coaching career, Ayers played at Miami and led the team to an upset of defending champion Marquette in the first round of the 1978 NCAA tournament. Scalzi joins the Suns following seven seasons on the coaching staff of the Oklahoma City Thunder. New Orleans has an enticing core led by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram that would make any coach giddy to lead them. Interestingly, all of Phoenix's current assistants joined the team prior to the 2019-20 season -- at the same time . Also named were Jamal Gross. The full coaching staff is listed below as Phoenix opens training camp Tuesday following a run to the NBA Finals that ended losing to the Milwaukee Bucks. Updated: . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 03: New Orleans Pelicans assistant Michael Ruffin before the New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball game on January 03, 2019, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Apr 28, PHO (44-18) beat LAC, 109-101, 63. The Suns will reportedly hire assistant coach Bryan Gates to reunite him with Monty Williams after being an assistant to Phoenix's head coach in New Orleans from 2010-15. The Magic dealing Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon at the trade deadline signaled them hitting the restart button, beginning from ground zero. Apr 17, PHO (40-16) lost to SAS, 85-111, 57. 109.5 (7th of 30), SRS: 5.67 (3rd of 30) Young, considered a good coach and even better person, coached the offense in Philly with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. The native of New York, New York received his bachelors degree from Northeastern. Frazier entered the coaching world as a graduate manager for the mens basketball program at George Mason University in 2017-18. In addition to his time in the G League, Strong played professionally for Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli Premier League from 2008-2010, and also with clubs in the Netherlands, Uruguay and, most recently, New Zealand in 2016. Paul Westphal has the highest all-time winning percentage with the Suns with a .685 percentage. Michael Ruffin | The Official Website of The NBA Coaches Association MICHAEL RUFFIN PHOENIX SUNS ASSISTANT COACH In 2021, Michael Ruffin became an Assistant Coach for the Phoenix Suns. Atlanta will give Snyder a five-year contract and he could be coaching as soon as Tuesday, when the Hawks face Washington. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. His tenure with the Thunder featured a Western Conference Championship in 2012, plus three additional trips to the Western Conference Finals, including in 2016 when Williams was the teams associate head coach. Jan 27, PHO (8-8) lost to OKC, 97-102, 18. May 11 @ GSW, PHO (48-21) lost to GSW, 116-122, 70. On May 3, 2019, Williams became the 20th Head Coach* in Suns history. Brooks will serve his 1-game suspension Sunday when the Grizzlies visit the Clippers. Apr 10, PHO (37-15) beat WAS, 134-106, 53. Langston Galloway joins Warriors on training camp deal, per report, Chris Paul teams with hoops hall of fame for HBCU double-header in Phoenix, Ja Morant says hell get help; video shows apparent gun. The 6-3 point guard was a member of nine teams to qualify for the playoffs, averaging 4.6 points and 2.5 assists in 53 career postseason games (13 starts). Mar 30, PHO (32-14) beat ATL, 117-110, 47. Green served as the Warriors head coach for NBA Summer League in 2018, both in Las Vegas and at the inaugural California Classic in Sacramento where he led Golden State to the events only perfect 3-0 record. Mar 26 @ TOR, PHO (30-14) beat TOR, 104-100, 45. In assembling a staff, the goal was simple: identify high-character individuals with high-level experience who will work relentlessly to develop a culture of championship habits here in Phoenix. The Phoenix Suns have hired Michael Ruffin, who coached under Williams in New Orleans, added Jamal Gross as player development coach/video coordinator and elevated Corey Vinson to the same titles as he was an assistant in both areas with the team last year. NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 09: Willie Green appears at the 7th Annual New York City TopSpin Charity [+] Event at Metropolitan Pavilion on December 9, 2015 in New York City. Do you have a sports website? Strong was a two-time All-American, two-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Year and three-time all-conference selection at Guilford, leaving as the Quakers second all-time leading scorer. Rajakovic began his coaching career at 16 years old with the youth teams of Borac Cacak in his hometown of Cacak, Serbia. Apr 22 @ BOS, PHO (42-17) lost to BOS, 86-99, 60. Young cores who are in need of guidance with a true culture-building mentality. Looking at 5 key stats heading into Saturday's clash between top East teams Philadelphia and Milwaukee. In addition to playing under Williams as an assistant coach with Portland for the 2007-08 season, Blake was a teammate of Suns General Manager James Jones. The immediate future seems bright in New Orleans with two young All-Stars in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. In terms of immediate on-court success, Washington could be the best landing spot for Green. Feb 16, PHO (17-10) lost to BRK, 124-128, 28. A 12-year NBA veteran, Green has been an assistant with the Suns for the past two seasons and spent the previous three seasons on the Golden State Warriors' coaching staff. < 2021-22. The latest coaching additions are continuous proof of that. The Phoenix Suns, as they attempt to defend their Western Conference Championship, will have a slew of new faces assisting head coach Monty Williams for the 2021-22 season. During the 2018-19 season he worked alongside Suns Head Coach Monty Williams in Philadelphia. Apr 30, PHO (45-18) beat UTA, 121-100, 64. He served as a player development coach for the Thunder the past two seasons, which followed five seasons as director of analysis and opposition scouting from 2014-2019, including when Williams was the teams associate head coach in 2015-16. When he first moved to the United States, Fois played one season at Pepperdine in 2007-08 and was named to the WCC Commissioners Honor Roll. He averaged 10.8 points and 4.6 assists over 867 career regular season games with Portland, Indiana, Toronto, New Orleans, Golden State, Cleveland, Brooklyn and New York. Gates coached under Williams in New Orleans, Jack played for him in New Orleans and Portland while Scalzi was with the Oklahoma City Thunder when Williams was an associate head coach there in 2015-16. A 6-11 forward/center as a player, Strong played five seasons in the G League from 2011-2016, averaging 7.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 183 career games with the Iowa Energy, Delaware 87ers, Austin Toros and Westchester Knicks. Coach Ruffin and his wife, Mistye, have four children (Milaya, Javon, Kalea, & Deionte). Prior to his time on the Sixers coaching staff, Young spent nine seasons as a coach in the NBA G League, including time as head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats, Iowa Energy and Utah Flash. Bryant, a former Suns player, returns to Phoenix after most recently spending 12 seasons as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ja Morant will be away from the Memphis Grizzlies for at least two games as the NBA investigates a social media post after he livestreamed himself holding what appeared to be a gun at a club. The Suns have promoted Kevin Young to associate head coach. Dec 27 @ SAC, PHO (2-1) beat SAC, 116-100, 5. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Strong, 32, joins the Suns after spending the 2018-19 season in player development for the Philadelphia 76ers where he worked alongside Williams to help the Sixers reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Coach Ruffin was born in Denver, Colorado and played for and graduated from the University of Tulsa.