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Ainge steps down Assistant Skiles to take over as Suns' head coach
Posted: Tuesday December 14, 1999 10:28 PM
PHOENIX (AP) -- Phoenix Suns coach Danny Ainge resigned, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife and six children. "Their lives have revolved around me for my entire career. I want my life to revolve around them at this time in my life. It's that simple," Ainge said at a news conference Monday. Suns Chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo said he met with team management last night and told them his decision. He said the resignation had nothing to do with Ainge's performance as a coach. "My wife just has one husband and my children just have one father. Some of you may think I'm jumping ship. I don't believe I'm jumping ship. I'm diving overboard to save my family," he said. Ainge will be replaced by assistant coach Scott Skiles, who has been Ainge's top assistant for three years. Skiles played in the NBA for 10 years at Milwaukee, Indiana, Orlando, Washington and Philadelphia. Skiles, 35, was a candidate for the head coaching job in Orlando during the off-season. He started in the backcourt with Penny Hardaway, who now plays for the Suns, early in Hardaway's career at Orlando. Ainge said he believes Skiles is every bit as good a coach as he was, if not better. "This is a dream I've had for a long time, to be the youngest coach in the league and I believe I am," said Skiles. "But the circumstances of it, it's not like I'm jumping for joy. It's like I've lost a close friend. I definitely have mixed feelings about it." Ainge, 40, played 14 years in the NBA and was known for his aggressive defense and competitiveness. He played on championship teams with Boston in 1984 and 1986. Ainge played his final three seasons with the Suns, then was hired as an assistant to Cotton Fitzsimmons in 1996. He was an assistant for just six months.
When the Suns started the season at 0-8 that year, Ainge replaced Fitzsimmons. His record in just over three seasons as coach was 136-90, including 56-26 in 1997-98. However, the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs all three years.
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