Suns make it official, name Jeff Hornacek new head coach

The Suns made it official on Tuesday, naming Jeff Hornacek as their new head coach. (Brian Drake/Getty Images)

In a move expected for the past week, the Phoenix Suns officially announced the hiring of Jeff Hornacek as the team's new head coach on Tuesday morning.

Hornacek, who turned 50 earlier this month, was drafted by the Suns in 1986, and played six years for the team before playing alongside John Stockton in the Utah Jazz backcourt. He retired from the NBA in 2000 and now becomes the Suns' 16th head coach in franchise history.

Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough, who was also hired into the organization in May after working in the front office of the Boston Celtics, said Hornacek's name has been "high on our list ever since my first interview with the Suns," and spoke to his success as a player and assistant coach:

"We are thrilled to introduce Jeff Hornacek as the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns. Jeff has all of the qualities we were looking for in a head coach—he is a leader, a teacher and a student of the game. Jeff's name has been high on our list ever since my first interview with the Suns. His successes as a player and as an assistant coach, along with his deep ties to this franchise and this community, give us confidence that he will do great things as the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns."