5 reasons the Phoenix Suns’ 2018 and 2019 opening nights are totally different

First year coach vs veteran coach, leading to immediate buy in

Prior to his hiring as the Phoenix Suns’ head coach, Igor Kokoskov had been an NBA assistant for 18 years. He too had been a head coach on the international stage for ten years as well.

There was no doubt that he was not short on experience.

And yet, do you recall a single moment when any player on the roster blushed over their head coach?

Was there ever a moment in which you heard a player state that they could not wait to come to work each day because of the coach that they were playing for?

Sure, they must have respected  Igor, but was that enough? Could Igor have ever truly demanded something of his players and gotten every ounce of energy out of them for 48 minutes?

Igor Kokskov was not Ryan McDonough’s first choice as head coach, and may not have even been third in line.

Monty Williams though was James Jones‘ first  choice – and very likely was his only  choice.

There is a huge  difference there between the two as they each entered their respective regular seasons.

Igor Kokoskov got lucky with his opening night. That game was the perfect convergence of timing and the ability for Devin Booker to take over when needed.

Today, we hear players regularly speak about how much they look forward to working with and for Monty.

There is true love in their collective hearts for him and that love will manifest itself in their play on the court.

Monty may have NBA head coaching experience that Igor did not, but Igor knew  how to coach. There was no lack of understanding how to lead or strategize (unlike Earl Watson before him).

Game one was a sign of how close this team is now and how close it will continue to be.

For the first time in years, we are watching a true team with a true and undeniable leader, not an amalgamation of athletes; a roster, without a soul.