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Never say 'never' Former coach rejoins Phoenix Suns as top assistant
Posted: Saturday December 18, 1999 10:38 PM
PHOENIX (AP) -- John MacLeod, coach of the Phoenix Suns for 13 1/2 seasons in the 1970s and '80s, returned to the team on Saturday as the top assistant to new coach Scott Skiles. "It's always nice to be wanted, and I'm kind of in between jobs right now, so this is going to work out very well for me," said MacLeod, who was fired as coach at Notre Dame after last season. "I don't have the desire to embark on a long-term assistant coaching career, but this is a special situation." MacLeod was coach of the Suns from 1973 until midway through the 1986-87 season, compiling a 579-543 record. He later coached the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks and has an overall NBA record of 707-657, ranking 10th on the league's list of coaching victories. He recently moved back to the Phoenix area, and Skiles said MacLeod was the first candidate he thought of when he found out he would be succeeding Danny Ainge as coach. Ainge resigned on Monday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. "What I have had the opportunity to do twice -- be a head coach for two games -- John's done over 1,300 times," Skiles said. "He's somebody I've always admired from afar, and it made perfect sense to me." MacLeod, 62, had hesitated to take the job, because he wants another shot at being an NBA coach. "John has been a head coach his entire career, at least in the NBA," Suns owner Jerry Colangelo said. "Here he is taking on a special assignment. I think it would only spell good things for the Phoenix Suns." MacLeod will carry the title of special assistant coach. His specific duties will evolve with time, Skiles said. "Basically, just to tell me whatever he thinks at all times," Skiles said. "During the games, before practice, after practice, after the games, on the plane -- whenever. I don't want to categorize him. I want him to be able to tell me whatever he thinks at all times." MacLeod said it was "a big decision to move from a head coach to assistant coach. But this is a special situation. We don't have to move. We get to stay in the same city. We're joining a franchise, an organization and a team that's quality. So that is to me very, very important. There are a lot of positives in the mix. "When I looked at everything, took the yellow pad out and took the pros and the cons, certainly the pros outweighed the cons. This is a special situation for me to lend my expertise and experience and to be a sounding board for Scott, to help him and the team in any way that he might think possible."
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