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5 College coaching candidates for the Phoenix Suns

By Khaleel Abdullah

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates with his team after the 85-77 win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates with his team after the 85-77 win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – JANUARY 26: A Notre Dame Fighting Irish student fan holds onto a big head cutout of Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Mike Brey in game action during a college basketball game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Virginia Cavaliers on January 26, 2019 at the Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – JANUARY 26: A Notre Dame Fighting Irish student fan holds onto a big head cutout of Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Mike Brey in game action during a college basketball game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Virginia Cavaliers on January 26, 2019 at the Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

#4 – Mike Brey of Notre Dame

Brey has been the men’s head coach at the University of Notre Dame since 2000, coaching 19 seasons for the Fighting Irish and he’s got them to the NCAA tourney 12 times.

He’s racked up 412 wins at the school, averaging about 22 wins per season. In 19 years, he’s had 2 losing seasons. In 2014-15 and 2015-16, the team had 56 total wins under him and got to back-to-back Elite Eights.

Mike spent 8 seasons with Coach K at Duke so he’s had a good teacher to help him be successful.

The attitude that he instills into the Fighting Irish would be a very welcome addition here. There is no quit, there is no lay down. Players would buy into his system and it’d likely bring out the best in the young core that makes up this Suns team.

Why would he come coach the Phoenix Suns? That’s a good question. Last year, he agreed to an extension with Notre Dame through the 2024-25 season so there’s a very good chance he stays there and declines the job if offered.

However, that doesn’t mean that Phoenix shouldn’t make the offer as he would definitely be a good man for the job.

Per ESPN, the athletic director for the Fighting Irish had the best statement on why he’d be a good fit. The quote pertains to him as the head coach on the university but one could see why he’d be the right fit on the Suns as well.

"“Mike Brey has built one of the most consistently successful programs in the country,” athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a statement. “And the foundation of that success is a winning culture that develops the members of his teams as both basketball players and young men. He is a perfect fit for Notre Dame and we are excited to have him lead our program well into the future.”"

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