Phoenix Suns announce full coaching staff for new season

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer has completed his search and his entire staff has been hired, the team said on Tuesday.

The Suns announced his assistant coaches are Chad Forcier, David Fizdale, Vince Legarza, Mike Hopkins, Brent Barry, James Posey, Chaisson Allen and Schuyler Rimmer.

Forcier was with Budenholzer on the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2021 NBA Championship team. He also won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014.

Forcier was with the Jazz last year and has also served as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons.

Suns may recognize Fizdale’s name because he was on the coaching staff during last season.

He’s also a former head coach for the Grizzles and the New York Knicks.

Fizdale spent eight seasons with the Miami Heat before his head coaching jobs.

Legarza was also an assistant in Milwaukee under Budenholzer during the 2022-2023 season and on his staff as a player development coach with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013 and 2014.

He’s spent time with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Jazz.

Hopkins has spent three decades in college basketball, highlighted by an NCAA title as an assistant coach at Syracuse University in 2003.

He spent the last seven seasons at the University of Washington coaching men’s basketball, where he won Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors twice.

Barry, the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, won two championships as a player with the San Antonio Spurs and has spent the last seven seasons in the Spurs’ front office.

Posey won a championship with the Heat and the Celtics as a player and then another title as an assistant coach on the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers.

He most recently spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards.

Allen has coached in the G League for the last six years, spending the last three seasons as the head coach of the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ affiliate.

Rimmer was a player development assistant on Budenholzer’s staff for four years in Milwaukee, including on the championship-winning Bucks team in 2021.

He spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The regular season starts on Oct. 22.

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