Phoenix Suns introduce new head coach Mike Budenholzer
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Look out, there’s a new coach in town. The Phoenix Suns introduced head coach Mike Budenholzer, otherwise known as “Coach Bud,” during a press conference on Friday afternoon.
The legendary “Voice of the Suns,” Al McCoy, kicked off the presser with his iconic “Shazam!” to introduce the new coach. Budenholzer opened up by thanking Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia, who he said was a big reason why he wanted the job. “His passion and commitment for winning, to the players, to the organization, to this city has been off the charts. He’s been beyond impressive,” Budenholzer said. “I couldn’t be more appreciative of Mat for putting me in this position.”
Budenholzer expressed his excitement about working with the players and front office as he embarks on the new challenge. “I would coach this team if it was on the moon. I would coach this team if it was in Alaska, if these players were in Denmark. I would go anywhere to coach this team,” he said.
Just a week ago, the team announced Budenholzer would be coming back to his home state and leading the Suns, who ended their season with a disappointing first-round playoff exit. Shams Charania, senior lead NBA insider for The Athletic and Stadium, said that Budenholzer agreed to a five-year deal worth over $50 million.
“I’m beyond excited about coaching the Phoenix Suns, coaching this roster, coaching these players. You want to have a chance to compete for championships and that’s what we have here in Phoenix. That’s what I’m excited about, competing for championships,” he said.
However, Budenholzer said championship talks need to be backed up by actions. “Talking about championships is kind of meaningless. At the end of the day, talk is cheap. What you do every day is powerful.” he said.
The news surrounding Budenholzer’s came just hours after the organization fired first-year coach Frank Vogel, stating that the previous season was “way below our expectations.” ESPN Senior Insider Adrian Wojnarowski said Budenholzer was the frontrunner to replace Vogel.
Vogel led the team to a 49-33 record, but the Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.
Suns fans may recognize Budenholzer from the team’s championship run several years ago, where he led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA title over the Phoenix Suns. He was also named Coach of the Year for the Bucks and Atlanta Hawks.
Budenholzer is an Arizona native and was born in Holbrook.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
