According to reports, the Phoenix Suns have added their first assistant to their team, joining Mike Budenholzer, the new head coach.
“The Phoenix Suns have landed Vince Legarza to work under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, sources tell The Arizona Republic,” reports Duane Rankin of AZ Central.
Legarza served as assistant coach during Budenholzer’s final season with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022–2023; however, Adrian Griffin fired Legarza for the 2023–2024 campaign.
Between 2013 and 2015, Leagarza served as Budenholzer’s player development coach during his first two seasons as the Atlanta Hawks’ head coach.
After this time, Legarza worked as an assistant with the Utah Jazz from 2018 to 2022 and as a player development coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2015 to 2018.
Legarza, who stands 6 feet 9 inches tall, played college basketball for Miami (Ohio) for four seasons, from 2009 to 2013.
On May 11, Budenholzer signed a five-year, over $50 million contract with the Suns, making him an official member of the team. Frank Vogel was let go by the team after just one season, and his hiring happened just two days later.
Rankin continues, “Sources have told The Republic that the Suns are having difficulty filling up a new coaching staff and that they did not retain any coaches from Vogel’s team. Vogel signed a $31 million, five-year contract with the Suns last summer, but they are still paying him.
Darvin Ham is the most renowned of Budenholzer’s previous aides who is currently accessible. Earlier this month, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Ham was sacked after two seasons.
Budenholzer had Ham as his assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2018 and the Bucks from 2018 to 2022.
