UTAH JAZZ

Former Jazz Assistant Igor Kokoskov To Return As Suns Head Coach

Feb 5, 2019, 7:49 PM

Igor Kokoskov the head coach of the Phoenix Suns gives instructions to his team against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 15, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. . (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

BY AUSTIN FACER, KSL SPORTS
KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz will welcome back a member of their basketball family when the Phoenix Suns come to town.

Former Jazz assistant Igor Kokoskov will return to the sidelines at Vivint SmartHome Arena, this time as the head coach of the Suns.

Jazz Coach Quin Snyder says he’s happy to welcome back former assistant Igor Kokoskov for their first meeting vs. Phoenix on Wednesday. “I care about Igor deeply as a person and respect him so much as a coach,” Snyder said. Says they still text. pic.twitter.com/U0puD7HSn8

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 5, 2019

As Jazz head coach Quin Snyder’s chief assistant from 2015-17, Kokoskov built a repution as a player’s coach and as a basketball “genius,” as Donovan Mitchell said.

The results haven’t come yet for Kokoskov, who was hired as the Suns’ head coach during the Jazz’s playoff run last season. The team comes into Salt Lake City with the Western Conference’s worst record at 11-44.

The Phoenix Suns are hiring Utah Jazz assistant Igor Kokoskov as their new head coach, league sources tell ESPN. Kokoskov, a native of Serbia, will be the first European born head coach in the NBA.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 2, 2018

It wasn’t expected, however, the Kokoskov would quickly turnaround the Suns as they continued a full-fledged rebuilding process. Phoenix has not made the playoffs since the 2009-10 season.

The game between the Jazz and Suns will tip off Wednesday at 7 p.m. and be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.