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What Suns fans should expect from Mike Budenholzer: ‘Playing fast and playing random’

After Mike Budenholzer’s introductory press conference to be the next coach of the Phoenix Suns, he had a one-one interview with Suns’ sideline reporter Amanda Pflugrad in which he detailed more of his approach to the game.

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Budenholzer has been very successful in his 10 years as a head coach with his system: winning the 2021 NBA Finals with the Milwaukee Bucks and NBA Coach of the Year twice (2015 with the Atlanta Hawks and 2019 with the Bucks).

So what should Suns fans expect from his system?

“Playing fast and playing random, and the ball moving and people moving are things that I believe in,” Budenholzer said. “Hopefully there’s big chunks of the games where you can see that, and then when we need to execute and get into half-court sets and get into half-court situations and do that at a high level.

“Really probably most importantly is have a defensive identity. A team that really competes on the defensive end and knows it’s important to us being great and really covering for each other or scrambling, competing. I think the fans, they’re going to see and appreciate the effort of the players, the togetherness of the players, the unselfishness of the players. That’s what we’re gonna expect.”

Budenholzer went viral for saying this “play random” line when the Bucks defeated the Suns in the Finals.

Budenholzer, a native of Holbrook, Arizona, took a lot of his coaching style from his 94-year-old father, Vince, who was in attendance for his introductory press conference. Budenholzer called his dad “the original coach Bud.” Vince coached basketball at Holbrook High School for 25 years, won a state championship in 1971 and is in the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The two main things that Budenholzer learned from his father: “press and run.”

However, Budenholzer had to add a caveat to his dad’s coaching style.

“Just in case any players are listening or even the fans, there’s not really a lot of pressing in the NBA,” Budenholzer said. “So that’s why my dad’s always frustrated with me. I should put an asterisk, we probably won’t press.”

Mantra of “Talk is cheap. What you do every day is powerful”

The most powerful line from Budenholzer in his introductory press conference came in his opening remarks when talking about competing for championships.

“If our focus is on what we’re doing every day, that’s what matters most,” Budenholzer said. “Talking about championships, it’s kind of meaningless. At the end of the day, talk is cheap. What you do every day is powerful.”

Budenholzer elaborated to Pflugrad on the steps they take every day to have success.

“We have a routine. We call them vitamins that are for the players,” Budenholzer said. “It’s really the vitamin for their body and a vitamin for their game. And there’s practice and film. There’s just so many things that go into being great, and it includes taking care of your body, taking care of yourself. And there’s going to be a lot of effort and a lot of attention to detail in those areas. And, again, hopefully, that’s what gives us our best chance to win and win at a high level and win championships.”

Budenholzer, 54, had been out of coaching for a year after five seasons (2018-2023) with the Bucks, in which he finished with a 271-120 record (.639 winning percentage). He wass dismissed after the Bucks lost in the first round to the Miami Heat in 2023.

Before Milwaukee, Budenholzer spent five years as the head coach of the Hawks (2013-2018), amassing a 213-197 record (.520 winning percentage) there.

Combined, Budenholzer has a 484-317 record as a head coach, which gives him the fifth-highest win percentage (.604) by a coach (min. 800 games). He is also 20th all-time in playoff wins, going 56-48 (.538 winning percentage) in the postseason.

Budenholzer began his coaching career as an assistant under coach Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs during Popovich’s first year in San Antonio. He stayed with the Spurs from 1996-2013, winning four NBA championships as an assistant.

Being with five championship teams, what has Budenholzer learned?

“I think it’s really focusing on what you’re doing every day,” Budenholzer said. “That’s been the roadmap for the championship teams that I’ve been around, the championship players, organizations. They’re very much focused on ‘How are we getting better every day?’

“I think our players and everybody will see and hear that and feel that, and that gives you your best chance to reach your goals and the championships and to compete for them and to win them. You really need to focus more on what you’re doing every day. And I think that’s what we’re gonna do.”

Mike Budenholzer gives emotional response about his year away from coaching

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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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