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PHOENIX — In the four-plus months since his hire, Jordan Ott has been asked several times what this has all meant, a grinder from small-town Pennsylvania climbing his way up the NBA ladder. Throughout, the Phoenix Suns head coach has kept these emotions mostly to himself.
At his introductory press conference, Ott said he had too much appreciation for the profession to believe that his path was guaranteed. He discussed the steps he had taken as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, and the experience he had last season on the bench with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since then, the 40-year-old Ott has focused on the difficult task of building a foundation for an overhauled roster. Asked last week about opening night, Ott said he was only concerned about the next day’s scrimmage. Asked the same question before Wednesday night’s game, Ott said he was sure it was a big moment for his family, but he was more focused on the pregame pep talk.
This deliberate approach paid off later at Mortgage Matchup Center. The Suns were awful in the first half against the Sacramento Kings but showed resilience in the second and posted a 120-116 win to start off a new era, not to mention Ott’s head-coaching career.
“We hung in there,” Ott said, noting how Phoenix had outscored Sacramento 36-21 in the third quarter. “That’s what we’re about.”
The storylines in Phoenix are well-known. Devin Booker’s leadership and chemistry with Jalen Green, an explosive newcomer who missed the opener with a hamstring issue. The defensive edge and toughness of Dillon Brooks. The health and potential of big man Mark Williams.
Since this is a players’ league, Ott has gone mostly overlooked. But his readiness this season is an important factor. After discarding previous coaches Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer after one season, the Suns need stability. And they need someone who can guide a young team through the tough times that are certainly coming.
So far, Ott has made a positive impression. Veteran guard Grayson Allen says the first-time head coach is extremely clear not only in how he wants drills run, but why he wants them run. Brooks says Ott over the summer was in the practice facility every night, participating in workouts and rebounding for players. The intent has been to build a culture of toughness and defense, traits the Suns last season lacked with the league’s most expensive roster. It’s a complete reversal.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia said Wednesday that Phoenix staff members send him video clips of players diving on the court after loose balls. Other signs are easier to see. As Ott talked to reporters after a recent practice, Brooks walked past and interrupted the head coach.
“Hey, Coach,” the veteran forward said. “Tell them how hard practice is. I just got split in my head (with) how hard we play defense.”
Ott smiled.
“Yeah, he was defending a little too close and got clipped,” he said.
Brooks received six stitches above his right eye.
Ott last season worked on Kenny Atkinson’s staff in Cleveland. A team with star power and chemistry, the Cavs opened with 15 wins in a row. Recalling this, Ott said what’s odd is that the Cavs lost all four preseason games. Then they struggled with turnovers during an opening-night win in Toronto. But the Cavs then began playing better. A healthy spirit developed, and it powered Cleveland to eight wins, nine, 10.
Ott was asked if a team could develop such a spirit without the instant reward of victory, something that a young Phoenix squad likely will be forced to do. Ott said a winning spirit isn’t reflected on the scoreboard but in practice, the result of daily habits. Work hard, play with enthusiasm and it builds. From a competitive standpoint, Ott said that how the Suns have practiced so far has been abnormal. Allen agreed, saying scrimmages “quickly turn into Game 7s.”
Ott credited noted instigator Brooks with much of this. He said the Suns knew his grit and toughness would impact the Suns during games, but the coaching staff did not understand the extent of how those qualities would affect practice. They became contagious.
The unknown was how all this would translate to the regular season. If hustle and grit could trump the star power Phoenix had last season with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
It didn’t start off well. The Suns on Wednesday night played with energy, but they were also sloppy. They missed their first nine 3-point attempts. They let Sacramento get into an offensive rhythm. Ott said he thinks sometimes it’s better for teams to open on the road because the excitement and home crowd can be too intoxicating. The Suns trailed by as many as 20 in the first half. At halftime, Sacramento led 71-54. Among the 24 NBA teams in action Wednesday, only Utah (78), Charlotte (77) and Milwaukee (72) scored more first-half points.
Locker room hype for Coach's first win‼️ pic.twitter.com/hLGxQ011TP
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 23, 2025
The second half was different. The Suns made adjustments, switching defensively off screens. They also increased their competitiveness. Allen and Booker in the third quarter combined for 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting, but the Suns also got a lift from their second unit.
Royce O’Neale hit a 3 that gave the Suns their first lead since the first quarter, 96-94. Williams blocked a shot. Nigel Hayes-Davis grabbed the rebound. Allen hit a 3. Collin Gillespie sank a short jumper. Suddenly, Phoenix led 101-94, feeding off the crowd. In the second half, the Suns outscored the Kings 66-45, limiting them to 36.7 percent shooting. This is more along the lines of Ott’s vision.
Rough patches are ahead. Strong defensive teams will work to slow Booker, making others carry a bigger offensive load, which won’t be easy. A defensive ace, Brooks (22 points) fired up a team-high 24 shots, too many for a career 41.9 percent shooter. Allen too often left his feet with nowhere to go, resulting in poor decisions. Booker (31 points) committed six of Phoenix’s 16 turnovers. Perhaps worse, Sacramento played without injured star Domantas Sabonis and still shot 50 percent. On opening night, resolve and resilience saved the Suns. Buy they’ll need much more to contend in the Western Conference.
After the game, Ott finally celebrated. The Suns showed the head coach a video of friends and family offering congratulations. They showered Ott with water. A screen read: “Congrats Coach Ott, on your first of many wins.” Ishbia presented him with the game ball.
Ott kept the focus on his team.
“I anticipated some water — that was not room-temperature water,” he said. “But it’s not about me. They’re out there playing. We’re just a part of it. We’re along for the ride. … It’s always about the players.”
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Doug Haller is a senior writer based in Arizona. He previously worked 13 years at The Arizona Republic, where he covered three Final Fours and four football national championship games. He is a five-time winner of the Arizona Sportswriter of the Year award. Follow Doug on Twitter @DougHaller
