What is Mark Williams’ mark on first-time Suns coach Jordan Ott

It’s not often that a first-year coach impresses anyone, especially veterans. For Mark Williams, first-year Phoenix Suns coach Jordan Ott did just that.

The 19-14 record and the 7th seed in the Western Conference must have surprised many. Much of the team’s success stems from what Ot builds.

He has had credentials and experience for some time. After all, he was responsible for the 2024-25 Cleveland Cavaliers having one of the best offenses in terms of offensive rating and points per game the league has ever seen.

So far, Phoenix has had a surprising turnaround, despite losing both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. With a new-look roster, Williams is excited.

On The Old Man and The Three Podcast, he shared why Ot has impressed him and what he instilled in his team.

“Definitely confidence. Balancing the analytics and the hoop, I think he does that really well. We always talk about tempo and defensive ball pressure, but at the same time, he’ll tell me, ‘Call for the f—ing ball.’

“We always stick to our principles, cut and slide, and hit our open guys in the corner. I think there’s a really good balance between the two. He’s definitely a basketball savvy.”

Jordan Ott boosts Mark Williams’ confidence at Suns

Throughout Williams’ time in the NBA, he was plagued by injuries. But in the 2025-26 season, that cannot be said. Even with The Suns are placing Williams on back-to-back restrictionshe took it well.

Not only that, but his conditioning in camp and the regular season has been impressive. He gelled nicely with the starting unit and was the team’s defensive anchor in the middle.

Statistics don’t tell the whole picture, but its effectiveness goes beyond what any single metric can tell. Williams he’s not afraid to go up against top centers in the league and holds its own.

A big part of that comes from believing in the head coach. While he may have had it in Charlotte with Charles Lee, the front office didn’t seem to feel the same way. Being in a new environment where you are valued is crucial to one’s development.

At the same time, Ott wasn’t afraid to go past Williams and play with someone like Oso Ighodaro in matchups. In years past, that may have disappointed Williams, but he gets the picture.

A winning culture, mixed with new landscapes, exemplifies everything Suns, Williams and Ott hoped this relationship would be.