Phoenix Suns Hire Penn State Grad Jordan Ott as Head Coach

Ott, who has a degree from Penn State in sports management, becomes a first-time NBA head coach.

A general view of the Phoenix Suns logo on the court before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Footprint Center. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Penn State graduate Jordan Ott, who began his NBA career as a video coordinator, is the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns. ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the news, which multiple outlets confirmed, including the Arizona Republic. Ott will become a first-time NBA head coach after spending the past nine seasons as an assistant with three NBA teams.

Ott received a bachelor's in sports management from Penn State in 2006 and a Master's from Michigan State. The McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, native spent last season as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 40-year-old Ott helped Cleveland to a 64-18 regular-season record, the best in the Eastern Conference.

Ott began his basketball career at Michigan State, where he served as video coordinator before taking the same job with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013. He served in that role for four years before getting his first staff coaching position as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets.

Ott went from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, where he spent three seasons on the Lakers' staff. Ott moved to Cleveland in 2024, playing a key role in the Cavaliers' superb season and furthering his reputation as "someone who spends an incredible amount of time studying trends and pathways to adjust based on new patterns," Charania reported.

Ott replaces Mike Budenholzer in Phoenix, which went 36-46 and missed the playoffs in the Budenholzer's only season as head coach.

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