Head Coach Mike Budenholzer Discusses Joining the Phoenix Suns Organization in Interview | 5-17-2024

Head Coach Mike Budenholzer Discusses Joining the Phoenix Suns Organization in Interview | 5-17-2024

coach Bud welcome back to Arizona you were just introduced as the new head coach by Al McCoy you said you weren’t expecting that and him introducing you what did that mean to get that type of welcome yeah it was just so amazing uh you know so many great memories of him calling games and just all all the little the Shazam and the doublea’s and um sweet D and all that so uh flood of memories and flood of just appreciation for who we is and what he means to the state what he means to the organization and yeah just added to the excitement or the surrealness of today your father Vince was also in the audience a very prestigious high school basketball coach besides winning what piece of advice has he given you growing up that has really stuck with you yeah I’m going to keep it simple for this I’m going to stick with he told me to press and run you know that’s how his team’s played and he taught me about a lot about life and um he’s a big part of who I am um but I’m going to just say he said press and run we like that but James Jones had said during the Press he described you as being an ultimate competitor take me back to the the hiring process and what those conversations were like for you with both Matt ishbia and James Jones yeah I mean they’re super you know healthy conversations and trying to get to know each other and and uh learn you know what’s important to you know Matt and James and Josh and the Phoenix Sons and and for them to hear what’s important to me and you know I think we’re aligned on you know the competitive spirit and and finding competitors and and each of us are competitors um you know and that’s what you need to win at a high level um you know it’s it’s uh it’s really what uh I think we all value the most as we talk to each other what else stood out to you with ishbia and just the commitment that he has to the Phoenix Sons yeah no it was it was amazing his passion his commitment it’s just it’s like he’s jumping out of his you know it was a couch you know and and I felt like he was going to you know get in a defensive stance or block me out or something like that so I love the passion I love the commitment um you know it’s real and uh he cares about people he cares about the players cares about the organization um and so for me to see that and to feel it in person uh was incredibly important and um I’m excited about working with him and James and and Josh and and really all the players and and you know bringing that same kind of passion and commitment that that Matt brings to everything he does you look at your tenure as a coach winning multiple championships how do you want to bring that Championship mentality to the sons organization you know I think we talked about it earlier today I think it’s really focusing on what you’re doing every day uh that’s been the road map for um the championship teams that I’ve been around the championship players organizations um you know they’re very much focused on how are we getting better every day and you know I think our players and and everybody will see and hear that and feel that and that gives you your best chance to reach your goals and and you know the the the Championships and to compete for them and to win them um you really need to focus more on what you’re doing every day and uh you know I think that’s what we’re going to do yeah to follow up on that you said talk is cheap it’s what you do every day that’s powerful what do those everyday steps look like for you in order to have success yeah um you know I think we we have a routine um you know we call them vitamins that that are for the players and and it’s it’s really a vitamin for their body and a vitamin for their game and uh and then you know there’s practice and film and there’s just you know so many things that uh that go into being great and um you know it includes taking care of your body taking care of yourself um and there’s going to be a lot of effort and a lot of attention to detail in those areas and um again hopefully that’s what gives us our best chance to win and win at a high level and win champion ship I know that you’ve had an opportunity to speak with most of the players what excites you about this group and just their eagerness yeah I think the the honesty and the openness that that they’ve uh had with me has been great uh I think the excitement they have for the organization the city uh their teammates um you know the change that that we’re making and they want to you know um they they want to learn and and and and get kind of ready for whatever it is that that you know myself and the assistant coaches want and expectations of them they’re just they’re very open they’re very honest um and they want to win they’re competitors so I think they’re excited about seeing what we do going forward and with those expectations what can fans expect from you just your leadership style and also style of play press and play fast I know that’s one of them but uh just for what they can expect yeah I I just in case any players are listening or even the fans like there’s not really a lot of pressing in the NBA so that’s why my dad’s always frustrated with me so I I should I should put an aster we probably won’t press um but you know playing fast and playing random and and the ball moving and people moving are things that I believe in and um you know hopefully there’s there’s big chunks of the game where you can see that and then when we need to execute and and get into half court sets and get into half court situations and um do that at a high level and and really probably most importantly is is have a defensive identity a team that really competes on the defensive end that knows it’s important to us uh being great and and you know really covering for each other scrambling competing um you know and I think uh you know the fans they’re they’re going to see and appreciate you know I think that the effort of the players the togetherness of the players the unselfishness of the players um that’s what we’re going to expect well welcome back to the valley we’re so happy to have you thank you I appreciate it

Phoenix Suns Head Coach Mike Budenholzer sits down with Amanda Pflugrad to discuss coming back to the Valley, his excitement joining the Suns organization, his coaching philosophy and more.

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