PHOENIX– Two rooms and a hallway apart were Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott and Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder. However, their respect for one another started way before Sunday's game.
It started in Atlanta, where both were assistant coaches, studying film and how to break down particular coverages on offense and defense.
Fast forward, and Snyder ends up with the Utah Jazz, and Ott makes stops in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and then Cleveland. There, the two continued to develop a respect and trust for one another.
Even as Snyder returned to the Hawks, his former assistant joined the Cleveland Cavaliers with the same position and helped build one of the top offenses in NBA history.
Now, Ott is leading the Suns into a promising future. Still, the latter is amazed at what Snyder can do with X's and O's.
“Always prepared, always thinking,” Ott said pregame before Sunday's game versus Atlanta. “Oftentimes, he was so smart, so intelligent, so detail-oriented.
“Obviously, he had been a head coach before. This was just a placeholder until he was the head coach again. You can feel that pretty quickly. He was only there one year before he moved on, moved to Utah. Just a mastermind in general.”
Quin Snyder feels the same respect for Jordan Ott
Roughly 15 minutes after Ott spoke highly of his counterpart, Snyder reciprocated the same sentiment, but gave even greater detail. He mentioned the journey in Atlanta, the ongoing dialogue and respect for one another, and Ott's everlasting impression.
With all of that said, the Hawks' head coach is impressed, but not overly surprised at what the first-year coach is doing.
“It was someone who, even back then, it was apparent that he had not only a passion for the game but a great feel for the game, and seeing him grow as a coach over the years and staying in touch with him, it's not surprising that he's in the position he's in with this opportunity,” Snyder said pregame.
“And as you said, even early in the year, you can tell the imprint he's made on the team. Guys are playing confidently and aggressively, and it's fun to see someone that you respect and have known for a long time get an opportunity like this as a head coach in the league, and to be doing the job that he's doing is not a surprise. But obviously happy for him, and he's got a long, bright future ahead of him.”
The Suns and Hawks are 8-5 entering the year, with Phoenix being 7th in offensive rating (119.6) and 10th in defensive rating (113.5). Sunday could be a matter of the teacher against the student, but it's interesting to see who will come out on top.
