List of Phoenix Suns head coaches

The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] Founded in 1968, the Suns are chronologically the second-oldest team in the Western Conference. The Suns are also chronologically the third-oldest team in the NBA to have never won an NBA Championship while having played in the NBA Finals at least once.[2][3] The Suns play their home games at the Footprint Center (formerly the Phoenix Suns Arena, American West Arena and the US Airways Center).[1]

The Phoenix Suns franchise has had 20 head coaches. John MacLeod is the franchise's all-time leader in coaching years and games won, winning the most regular-season and playoff games.[4] Cotton Fitzsimmons, Mike D'Antoni and Monty Williams are the only coaches to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award with the Suns. The Suns never have been coached by a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Paul Westphal has the highest all-time winning percentage with the Suns with a .685 percentage.[5] Alvin Gentry was named head coach after Terry Porter was dismissed by the Suns after 51 games in 2008.[6] Gentry left the Phoenix Suns under mutual agreement to part ways on January 18, 2013.[7] He was replaced by Lindsey Hunter halfway through the 2012–13 NBA season. He has since been replaced by former Suns player Jeff Hornacek. Hired in 2018, Serbian coach Igor Kokoškov became the first head coach born and raised outside of North America to be hired as a head coach in NBA history.[8] Former Pelicans coach Monty Williams was hired as head coach on May 3, 2019 and served until May 13, 2023.[9] On June 6, 2023, the Suns hired Frank Vogel as head coach.[10]

  1. ^ a b "Phoenix Suns History Index". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  2. ^ "A Chronology of the Teams in the NBA". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  3. ^ "NBA Finals: All-time Champions". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference john was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference paul was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Alvin Gentry Named Interim Head Coach by the Suns". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 16, 2009. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
  7. ^ "Suns, coach Alvin Gentry part ways". ESPN.com. ESPN. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  8. ^ "Suns Agree to Terms with Igor Kokoškov To Become New Head Coach". NBA.com. 2 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Phoenix Suns dismiss head coach Monty Williams". NBA.com. May 13, 2023. Archived from the original on June 19, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  10. ^ "Suns name Frank Vogel as head coach". NBA.com. June 6, 2023. Archived from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.