The Phoenix Suns have agreed to a three-year deal with Earl Watson to become head coach, league sources told The Vertical.
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Phoenix fired former head coach Jeff Hornacek back on February 1st. The overall attitude of the team had improved, the young players began to really shine in their play, and every player was giving maximum effort, despite enduring the second worst season in franchise history. He is now the NBA’s youngest head coach. “… When they speak there’s some natural leadership qualities and characteristics that kind of emanate from them”.
The Suns were in the midst of a disappointing season and the players appeared to respond to Watson. Both Watson and McDonough are 36 years old. “They embraced everything that came along with me”. “He’s gained that respect from everybody in the locker room”. One of Watson’s most formational relationships was with the legendary John Wooden, whom Watson would have inspiring conversations with from when he arrived at UCLA until Wooden’s passing in 2010.
Watson put together a 9-24 record after taking over. His only coaching experience was as an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs’ Developmental League team in Austin in 2014-15. Last fall, Watson was added to the Suns coaching staff as an assistant coach. He had a second-round selection in the 2001 National Basketball Association draft after playing four college seasons at UCLA. “The process of trying to figure out how to be creative with a fluid roster, battle injuries and win games and change mindsets, build younger players, having training camp in practice, and then going through interviews at the same time – it was a lot”. There was a marked improvement in “the culture and the vibe of the team over the last month and a half of the season”, he said.
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“I wish it was that easy”, Watson said Tuesday after he was formally introduced as the Suns’ full-time coach.
