Draymond Green’s past and the Phoenix Suns’ future just surprisingly crossed paths. Jordan Ott, a longtime NBA assistant who was recently hired as the Suns’ head coach, has more than a résumé behind him – he’s got a personal connection to Green going back to college.
In a recent interview, the Golden State veteran opened up about their shared past, offering high praise and an emotional shoutout to the man now tasked with saving Phoenix’s struggling team.
Draymond Green’s Draft Story Links Him to Jordan Ott
When the Suns named Ott their new head coach on Friday, June 6, most fans saw a promising basketball mind getting his big break. But for the Warriors’ veteran, it was something deeper.
“Who trained me for the Draft, literally trained me for my pre-draft workout, was Jordan Ott,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “Jordan was the video coordinator at Michigan State, and he had been a GA before, then he left and took the video job at Penn State, came back and took it at Michigan State, and trained me for the NBA Draft.”
That connection goes all the way back to Green’s college days. Before Ott made his name in NBA coaching circles, he was a behind-the-scenes figure at Michigan State — someone Green remembered as instrumental during a key time in his basketball journey.
“To watch somebody come from a video coordinator at Michigan State, GA, to like becoming a head coach in the NBA, so special,” Green said. “So I’m happy as hell for Jordon Ott, Mat Ishbia, Brian Gregory, all Spartans. Paul Rivers, Spartan, happy as hell for them. Shout out to Jordan, I think Phoenix got a great one, shout out to Jordan’s wife.”
It was a heartfelt moment. Green was reflecting on Ott’s rise while also recognizing the grind it took for his old coach to get here.
“They are the best. I was 16 years old, and to see him become a head coach in this league and just grind his way up, it’s absolutely incredible,” he said. “I know Phoenix got a great one. When you’re talking X’s and O’s, one of the best in the business.”
That last line was more than a compliment – it was an endorsement from a four-time NBA champion, no less.
Suns Hope Ott Can Deliver a Turnaround
Ott officially became the 23rd head coach in franchise history last week, edging out Johnnie Bryant for the job. At just 40 years old, he brings nearly two decades of coaching experience into a situation that needs serious fixing.
Phoenix finished the 2024–25 season with a disappointing 36–46 record. Despite having All-Stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the team failed to even qualify for the Play-In Tournament, finishing 11th in the West.
The Suns’ official statement emphasized Ott’s recent success with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he served under Kenny Atkinson (NBA Coach of the Year) during the team’s 64–18 campaign — the best in the Eastern Conference. That run helped elevate Ott’s stock, especially after previous stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and Atlanta Hawks.
According to the National Basketball Coaches Association, Ott’s résumé spans roles with Atkinson, Darvin Ham, Steve Nash, and Mike Budenholzer, giving him a rich mix of systems and styles to pull from.
MORE: 2025 NBA Mock Draft Following Shocking Lottery Results
Now, he’ll need to apply all of that experience to one of the NBA’s most pressure-packed jobs. There’s no doubt Ott faces an uphill battle. But if Green’s words carry any weight, and given the player he became under Ott’s guidance, the Suns may have found just the right coach to turn things around.