Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Favorite for Suns coaching job has ties to Michigan State

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated May 23, 2025 7:22 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns are deep into the process of selecting the franchise’s next head coach. The timeline on the decision is unknown but one of the favorites for the job might have a leg up on the competition because of his Alma Mater. Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott is one of the names on the front office’s short list for the position, the news isn’t shocking as he graduated from Michigan State, Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s former school.

Ott’s coaching career:

Ott graduated coach from Penn State University, but got his master’s degree from Michigan State in athletic administration. He started his NBA journey in 2013 being a video coordinator for Mike Budenholzer with the Atlanta Hawks. Three seasons later, Ott became an assistant in Brooklyn and stayed through three coaching changes, illustrating his importance to the franchise.

In 2022, Ott joined Darvin Ham’s staff and help elevate the defense for the Lakers during his tenure. His former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson took him from Los Angeles last offseason to join his staff with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where the franchise captures the 1st seed in the East and 2nd best record in the NBA.

Understandably, Suns fans will be hesitate to accept another Michigan State alumni brought in by Ishbia. The promotion of general manager Brian Gregory has left a sour taste in the mouth of fans. However, Ott is a well-respected assistant throughout the past decade in the NBA and could be a stellar hire to improve Phoenix’s defense next season.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: