Jazz Assistant Coach Igor Kokoskov Hired as New Suns Head Coach

The Phoenix Suns announced Wednesday they are hiring Utah Jazz assistant coach Igor Kokoskov to fill their vacant head coaching role.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, "Kokoskov, a native of Serbia, will be the first European born head coach in the NBA." He added that he Suns are signing Kokoskov to a three-year deal.

Kokoskov, 46, has served as an assistant coach in the NBA since the 2000-01 season in tenures with the Los Angeles Clippers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (2003-08), Suns (2008-13), Cleveland Cavaliers (2013-14), Orlando Magic (2015) and Jazz (2015-present).

General manager Ryan McDonough spoke about the hire, per the team's website:

"We are thrilled to bring Valley resident Igor Kokoskov back to Arizona as head coach of the Phoenix Suns. Igor has been a pioneer throughout his basketball career and he brings a wealth of high level coaching experience to our club.

"He was one of the first non-American born assistant coaches at both the NCAA and NBA levels and his most recent head coaching stint includes leading the Slovenian national team to the 2017 EuroBasket title, which was the first European title in the history of the country. Igor’s teams have always had a player development focus, a creative style of play and a track record of success."

"We are so happy for Igor and his family," Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey told Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune. "Igor is a man of integrity who has worked very hard at his craft. A good coach is immensely valuable in this business."

In Phoenix, Kokoskov will take over a team that has gone through four straight losing seasons and hasn't reached the playoffs since the 2009-10 campaign. There is young talent to build around, however, namely on the wing with Devin Booker already a star, T.J. Warren emerging as a solid player and Josh Jackson showing promise in his rookie season.

The Suns should have another chance to add an important piece in the upcoming NBA draft, with the top lottery odds to land the first overall pick. Regardless, they are guaranteed a top-four selection, meaning they'll be in the mix for talented players such as Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marvin Bagley III, among others.

Kokoskov's connection to Doncic, in particular, is worth noting, as he coached him on the Slovenian national team at the 2017 EuroBasket.

As Mina Kimes of ESPN.com wrote in early April:

"Kokoskov, the Utah Jazz assistant who coached Slovenia, marvels at Doncic's precociousness. 'Leadership and presence on the court—you can't coach it,' he says. In some ways, he explains, Doncic's background has molded him into the player he is today: A teenager who sees and thinks and moves on the court like a much older man, exhibiting none of the self-doubt that normally comes with inexperience."

There's no guarantee that the Suns will be in the position to draft Doncic or that Kokoskov's familiarity with him means the Suns would automatically favor him. The Suns have solid options on the wing, while point guard or center seem like bigger need areas. But it's a relationship to keep in mind.