BYU Hires Suns Associate HC Kevin Young as Head Basketball Coach

Phoenix Suns Associate Head Coach Kevin Young is finalizing an offer for the BYU Head Coaching job, Adrian Wojarnowski first reported. Sources confirmed this to me Monday night that Young interviewed for the job Monday and accepted. Sources also told me that Young has been the top target of Danny Ainge and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith; both were instrumental in getting Young to consider the job. Young’s wife attended BYU and they have family in the area, which also helped seal the deal to get him to Provo. Sources tell me Young was the only coach BYU formally interviewed.

Young is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was born in Salt Lake City. He is one of the most respected up-and-coming coaches in the NBA; the $2M annual contract he signed with the Suns in June 2023 made him the highest paid assistant in the NBA.

Young is 42 years old and has been coaching since 2006. After one season as an assistant at UVU in 2007-2008, Young has been in the G-League or NBA since then. Young was the head coach of 3 G-League teams from 2010-2016 before becoming an assistant for the 76ers in 2016. Young stayed on the 76ers staff until 2020, took an assistant job with the Suns in 2021, and has been associate head coach since 2021. Young was recently one of three finalists for the Nets Head Coach job and has interviewed for other NBA Head Coach positions.

Young has potential to be a home run hire for BYU. He has no college experience in the modern age, but he is one of the most respected young coaches in the NBA. Sources have told me that BYU is working on a strong assistant coach list for Young that would ease his transition into the college ranks. Some strong candidates has expressed interest in working under Young due to his NBA experience and what that could mean for their own career trajectory.

The downside is obviously Young’s lack of college experience. NBA Coaches haven’t always fared will in college, so a strong staff will be paramount for Young to navigate the college game.