Suns name Mike Budenholzer head coach

Mike Budenholzer (YouTube)

According to the Associated Press on Sunday, the Phoenix Suns have named Mike Budenholzer of Holbrook, Arizona as their new head coach. The Suns are the third National Basketball Association franchise Budenholzer has been a head coach for. He was previously with the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2018, and with the Milwaukee Bucks from 2018 to 2023.

In 801 games as a NBA head coach, Budenholzer has a record of 484 wins and 317 losses for a winning percentage of .604. In 104 postseason games in the NBA, he had a record of 56 wins and 48 losses for a winning percentage of .538.

Budenholzer’s claim to fame was being the head coach for the Bucks when they won the NBA Finals in 2021. Ironically in six games, the Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns (the team Budenholzer is now coaching) four games to two.

Twice in his career, Budenholzer was the NBA coach of the year. He was honoured with the Hawks in 2014-15, and the second time with the Bucks in 2018-19. In both seasons, Budenholzer led his team to a record of 60 wins and 22 losses.

In addition to being the head coach of Phoenix and Milwaukee, Budenholzer was the assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs from 1996 to 2013. In 17 seasons, the Spurs won four NBA Finals in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

In Phoenix, Budenholzer is taking over a Suns franchise that underachieved in 2023-24. After posting a regular season record of 49 wins and 33 losses, the Suns failed to win a postseason game as they lost four straight to the Minnesota Timberwolves. As a result, the Suns fired Frank Vogel as coach.