Igor Kokoskov gets a second interview with the Suns

[ColdPickleNachos]

Well... I guess so. I am not AGAINST it but I have yet to read anything about the guy that would get me excited over some of the other candidates everyone else was talking about.

I see two pages of posts with basically the same group. Not sure everyone is excited as you think they are but I could be wrong. I just not have heard any Suns fans I know outside these forums jumping up and down about the guy.

I doubt he's a huge favorite for casual followers, but he seems to be a favorite among basketball nerds. I use my Twitter account primarily for sports news. I follow mainly basketball insiders, Suns writers, and the like, and he is a clear favorite among that crowd (now that Budenholzer is no longer an option).

I like that he has a lot of experience as an NBA assistant with a wide variety of teams, I like that he's a teacher and a strategist more than a motivational type, I like that those who played for him say only great things, I like what he's done working with Rubio and the Jazz this year, and I'm very impressed by his work leading Slovenia to the Eurobasket championship and destroying Spain in the semifinals.

I'm not as excited about him as I was Budenholzer, but he's definitely a standout candidate imho given the other options (at least from the outside looking in).

 

[Covert Rain]

I doubt he's a huge favorite for casual followers, but he seems to be a favorite among basketball nerds. I use my Twitter account primarily for sports news. I follow mainly basketball insiders, Suns writers, and the like, and he is a clear favorite among that crowd (now that Budenholzer is no longer an option).

I like that he has a lot of experience as an NBA assistant with a wide variety of teams, I like that he's a teacher and a strategist more than a motivational type, I like that those who played for him say only great things, I like what he's done working with Rubio and the Jazz this year, and I'm very impressed by his work leading Slovenia to the Eurobasket championship and destroying Spain in the semifinals.

I'm not as excited about him as I was Budenholzer, but he's definitely a standout candidate imho given the other options (at least from the outside looking in).

I have read his entire bio and most of my fiends are either season ticket holders or die hards. I wouldn't consider any of them "casual". I just have not heard much excitement. The biggest knock I keep hearing over and over is that this is a typical Suns head coach hire. In other words another leap type guy verses an established guy with head coaching experience in the NBA.

One of my buddies made a good point to me yesterday. He said it's almost as if they are gambling the guy turns into Pringles 2.0.

Again, not against the hire one bit but it does seem like a "Suns" type HC hire.

 

[Mainstreet]

Am I the only one not excited about the prospects of this guy?

I would be excited if Igor is hired as the Suns head coach.

He has the experience of coaching a big man in Gobert, if the Suns draft Ayton.

Igor would also be the perfect candidate to coach Bender and Doncic should the Suns go this direction in the draft.

Most ordinary fans are probably not going to be familiar who the Suns hire as head coach.

 

[Covert Rain]

I would be excited if Igor is hired as the Suns head coach.

He has the experience of coaching a big man in Gobert, if the Suns draft Ayton.

Igor would also be the perfect candidate to coach Bender and Doncic should the Suns go this direction in the draft.

Fair enough. Although I admit I am looking forward to the plethora of Igor jokes should this hire happen.

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[Mainstreet]

Fair enough. Although I admit I am looking forward to the plethora of Igor jokes should this hire happen.

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At least his first name will be easy to remember and spell.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Am I the only one not excited about the prospects of this guy?

I’m firmly in the “who knows” camp. Would Feels like the Wilks hire by the Cards. Doesn’t super excite, doesn’t really deflate. Just a total wait and see.

 

[Covert Rain]

I’m firmly in the “who knows” camp. Would Feels like the Wilks hire by the Cards. Doesn’t super excite, doesn’t really deflate. Just a total wait and see.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Chaplin]

My thoughts exactly.

I'm there too. He's not the "sexy" hire we were hoping for, but he's not Jason Kidd, either.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm there too. He's not the "sexy" hire we were hoping for, but he's not Jason Kidd, either.

What? You mean we can't look forward to brilliant strategy like this......

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[Mainstreet]

Although other teams might not abide by this protocol, could the Suns have already made their selection for head coach but are waiting for the team to exit the playoffs?

Of course the Jazz are still in the playoffs if they want Kokoskov.

@AzStevenCal mentioned Larranaga the other day but I have heard no mention the Suns interviewing him.

Of course the Suns will probably starting interviewing other candidates throwing a wrench in this idea.

What threw me a curve yesterday is Gambo saying he did not know what the Suns were doing.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I'm there too. He's not the "sexy" hire we were hoping for, but he's not Jason Kidd, either.

I think the indications are there that he could be a very good coach. He is not Bud, but I think there is a good chance he could be like Bud was before Atlanta hired him. The thing that is encouraging to me is that he seems to want to be here, and he has seen Sarver in action and must believe he can deal with that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Although other teams might not abide by this protocol, could the Suns have already made their selection for head coach but are waiting for the team to exit the playoffs?

Of course the Jazz are still in the playoffs if they want Kokoskov.

@AzStevenCal mentioned Larranaga the other day but I have heard no mention the Suns interviewing him.

Of course the Suns will probably starting interviewing other candidates throwing a wrench in this idea.

What threw me a curve yesterday is Gambo saying he did not know what the Suns were doing.

If they can interview him twice during the playoffs, I cannot imagine why they could not announce a hire while he is in the playoffs.

 

[Mainstreet]

If they can interview him twice during the playoffs, I cannot imagine why they could not announce a hire while he is in the playoffs.

This is the kicker.

However, McDonough might not want to announce the hire out of respect for the team. It's all grabbing at straw at this point and to make a logical inference.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I doubt he's a huge favorite for casual followers, but he seems to be a favorite among basketball nerds. I use my Twitter account primarily for sports news. I follow mainly basketball insiders, Suns writers, and the like, and he is a clear favorite among that crowd (now that Budenholzer is no longer an option).

I like that he has a lot of experience as an NBA assistant with a wide variety of teams, I like that he's a teacher and a strategist more than a motivational type, I like that those who played for him say only great things, I like what he's done working with Rubio and the Jazz this year, and I'm very impressed by his work leading Slovenia to the Eurobasket championship and destroying Spain in the semifinals.

I'm not as excited about him as I was Budenholzer, but he's definitely a standout candidate imho given the other options (at least from the outside looking in).

This is the first read that’s moved the needle for me. In a positive way. Excited? Not really. Interested? Sure.

The “exciting” prospects were either never prospects (or realistic prospects) like jay wright or pulled their name like Bud.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think part of why some other fans, casual or otherwise, aren't excited at the prospect of hiring Igor has to do with the letdown of Budenholzer. Some fans may be guarding against disappointment or since they've already been let down once with the coaching search it's hard to sell them on someone else. I would like Igor as our coach and would prefer him to a lot of the names floated around but he's not anyone I'm going nuts about hiring, if that happens.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think part of why some other fans, casual or otherwise, aren't excited at the prospect of hiring Igor has to do with the letdown of Budenholzer. Some fans may be guarding against disappointment or since they've already been let down once with the coaching search it's hard to sell them on someone else. I would like Igor as our coach and would prefer him to a lot of the names floated around but he's not anyone I'm going nuts about hiring, if that happens.

I do think Suns fans were prepared, intentionally or not, for Budenholzer to be the next Suns head coach. He represented a known name and a known commodity. Most of the other names on the list are not readily recognizable.

I guess I like Kokoskov because he has a lot of experience as an assistant coach for a number of teams including the Suns. Also part of it, the Jazz have done so much with so little. Mitchell and Gobert have been their primary two pieces. This means a lot of good coaching has been going on.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I do think Suns fans were prepared, intentionally or not, for Budenholzer to be the next Suns head coach. He represented a known name and a known commodity. Most of the other names on the list are not readily recognizable.

I guess I like Kokoskov because he has a lot of experience as an assistant coach for a number of teams including the Suns. Also part of it, the Jazz have done so much with so little. Mitchell and Gobert have been their primary two pieces. This means a lot of good coaching has been going on.

While I agree they must be well coached I think you are way selling their talent short. Gobert is a perennial dpoy guy and Mitchell might be the purest scorer we’ve had enter the league in ages. Dude just averaged 30pts/game against thunder in his first playoffs in his rookie season. And lead jazz out of first round without his point guard. As much as it pains me to say it, he’s likely better than booker already.

 

[Mainstreet]

While I agree they must be well coached I think you are way selling their talent short. Gobert is a perennial dpoy guy and Mitchell might be the purest scorer we’ve had enter the league in ages. Dude just averaged 30pts/game against thunder in his first playoffs in his rookie season. And lead jazz out of first round without his point guard. As much as it pains me to say it, he’s likely better than booker already.

Mitchell is only a rookie so there is that.

 

[sunsfan88]

Gobert is being rendered useless against Houston. Just goes to show that the traditional big is worthless in today's NBA no matter how good he is. Mobile bigs are the way to go.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Mitchell is only a rookie so there is that.

that kinda only lends more credence to Ouchie's point, IMO.

 

[hcsilla]

Kokoskov has a good reputation as assistant coach which is not saying much. We don't really know if he has many headcoaching abilities but at very least he is a solid X-and-O coach as the great run of the slovenian NT has proved.

 

[Mainstreet]

Michell is an awesome young player but when a team has a rookie leading them, IMO this is coaching.

I like the Jazz roster but I really like their coaching.

Mitchell will be an elite player but he should not be this good so quickly. The Jazz really know how to go to their strengths.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Kokoskov has a good reputation as assistant coach which is not saying much. We don't really know if he has many headcoaching abilities but at very least he is a solid X-and-O coach as the great run of the slovenian NT has proved.

I don't put much stock into what a coach does overseas. People talked up David Blatt because of his championship prowess outside the NBA and he washed out in a half season. Maybe that’s a little harsh, but suffice to say I take success overseas easily transferring over here with a grain of salt since the games are much different.

Now, that could definitely be because of LeBron wielding too much power, but the fact that he hasn't even sniffed the NBA since then, doesn't say much about what the rest of the league thought about him. He's not in the league right now is he? Too lazy to look it up.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't put much stock into what a coach does overseas. People talked up David Blatt because of his championship prowess outside the NBA and he washed out in a half season.

So this. I don't think what a coach or player does overseas translates most of the time into success here. Is it possible? We know it is but hardly is anything to get excited about.

 

[Chaplin]

Kokoskov has a good reputation as assistant coach which is not saying much. We don't really know if he has many headcoaching abilities but at very least he is a solid X-and-O coach as the great run of the slovenian NT has proved.

Doesn't mean much, but I remember him getting good reviews when he was coaching our Summer League team.