3 reasons Mike Budenholzer will succeed with the Phoenix Suns
By Luke Duffy
2. He's coached superstars in the past
Although some Suns fans wanted a young coach to replace Vogel and grow with the team, doing so would have represented a massive risk. This is an organization that doesn't have time for a Jamahl Mosley type to come in and over the course of three seasons put his mark on a young team, before finally getting back to the playoffs, just as Mosley did with the Orlando Magic this season.
Instead Budenholzer will come in with a clear idea of who he is as a coach, and what he expects of star players. Kevin Young - the lead assistant with the Suns last season who recently jumped ship to BYU - had a well known excellent relationship with Booker. While that is great, could he or another younger coach have gotten the same level of respect and buy-in from Durant and even Beal?
Mike Budenholzer is about as basketball coach as it gets. He knows how to manage stars — seen it and done it his entire NBA career… been around winning his entire career. Been around accountability, but also understands how to let players be themselves. Knows how to get guys an… pic.twitter.com/6Iq50KyJoC
— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) May 10, 2024
Budenholzer worked extensively with Giannis Antetokounmpo while they were together in Milwaukee, while Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday were also on the roster as well. The Bucks won that aforementioned championship while Budenholzer was at the helm, while Giannis was a league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
Budenholzer himself was the Coach of the Year back in 2018-19 and when you put all of that together, that is the kind of success that demands attention from your star players. This is a coach who will not be pushed around by big names once the season begins, and knows how to get the best out of elite talent. The Suns badly need that in order to succeed.