Phoenix Suns hire Jordan Ott: How many coaches has Kevin Durant had throughout his NBA career?

The Phoenix Suns’ disappointing 2024–25 NBA season—finishing 11th in the Western Conference and missing even the play-in tournament—ultimately cost Mike Budenholzer his job as head coach. While speculation continues about Kevin Durant’s future, the franchise has chosen Jordan Ott as the man to lead the team moving forward.

“The Phoenix Suns are hiring Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as the franchise’s new head coach, sources tell ESPN. Ott has been an NBA assistant since 2012 and has a strong background of offensive and defensive creativity, player development and communication,” reported NBA insider Shams Charania on his official X account Wednesday.

With the new head coach in place, the Suns can now fully focus on reshaping the roster, with Kevin Durant at the center of that effort. The 36-year-old forward has one year remaining on his contract with the Arizona franchise, worth $54,708,608.

While there are ongoing rumors about KD potentially leaving this summer—with multiple teams reportedly interested—nothing has materialized so far, and he remains on Phoenix’s roster. If that continues, Ott would become the 11th head coach of Durant’s NBA career.

Jordan Ott working for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2024 NBA Summer League.

Durant’s coaching history

Kevin Durant entered the NBA in the 2007–08 season, during the final year of the Seattle SuperSonics. At the time, the team was coached by PJ Carlesimo, who stayed on briefly after the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City.

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During his years with the Thunder, the forward played under two more coaches: Sam Brooks and Billy Donovan, before leaving for the Golden State Warriors in 2016. After winning two titles under Steve Kerr in San Francisco, KD joined the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2019, where he was coached by Kenny Atkinson, Jacque Vaughn, and Steve Nash.

Durant arrived in Phoenix in February 2023, and in just two and a half years has already played under three different coaches: Monty Williams, Frank Vogel, and Mike Budenholzer. Now, if he stays, Jordan Ott will be his fourth in Phoenix—and the 11th overall.

Where did Ott work before joining Phoenix?

The Phoenix Suns are giving Jordan Ott his first opportunity as a head coach. He began his NBA career as a video coordinator for the Atlanta Hawks during Mike Budenholzer’s tenure between 2013 and 2016. He then moved to the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant under Kenny Atkinson, Jacque Vaughn, and Steve Nash—overlapping with Durant.

From 2022 to 2024, Ott served as an assistant under Darvin Ham with the Los Angeles Lakers. At the start of the 2024–25 season, he left California to rejoin Kenny Atkinson with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a strong showing with that team, Jordan Ott now steps into the biggest challenge of his professional career.