Arizona native Mike Budenholzer expressed his excitement and commitment as he was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Highlighting his passion for the opportunity, Budenholzer declared, "I would coach this team if it were on the moon. I would coach this team if it were in Alaska."
He emphasised his dedication further, stating, "If these players were in Denmark, with these owners and front office, I would go anywhere to coach this team. That's the most important thing for me. I'm excited about the roster."
Budenholzer takes over from Frank Vogel, who was dismissed 11 days after the Suns were swept out of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Vogel, hired last June to replace Monty Williams, faced a challenging season marred by injuries, preventing the team from uniting their star trio: forward Kevin Durant and guards Bradley Beal and Devin Booker.
Thrilled at the prospect of guiding these stars, Budenholzer said, "We have great players, and with great players come great expectations. I'm excited about working with this roster and these players."
Budenholzer, who led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA title in 2021, was fired after their first-round playoff exit in 2023 and did not coach this past season. Reflecting on his time off, he mentioned it was a chance to recharge, and he is now ready to "embrace the expectations, embrace the pressure of being an elite team, of having great players and great expectations."
He concluded on an optimistic note, "We're all going to have an amazing time and an amazing feeling. But it's a tonne of work that goes into it, and I think we are all excited about the work."
