Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young has been hired as the next men’s basketball coach at Brigham Young University, the school announced Tuesday.
Terms were not disclosed, but sources told ESPN the sides were finalizing a long-term deal.
“Kevin is someone we have had our eye on for a while,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement. “He has risen to the top of NBA assistant-coaching ranks. He has been a lead candidate for NBA head-coaching jobs and has been instrumental in developing top-level NBA talent.
“Kevin will bring a new perspective, with an extensive NBA background to our program. He is a phenomenal fit at BYU.”
Young — the highest-paid assistant in the NBA — had been a candidate for NBA head-coaching jobs in the past two hiring cycles, but BYU landed him with a sizable commitment to lead the Cougars into their second Big 12 Conference season and beyond.
Young replaces Mark Pope, who left for the Kentucky job after delivering BYU an NCAA tournament bid in its inaugural Big 12 season.
Young, who was born in Salt Lake City, will continue working with the Suns in the playoffs, but will begin assembling a coaching staff that’ll immediately start recruiting for BYU.
Young spent eight years coaching in the NBA G League — including head-coaching jobs with the Utah Flash, Iowa Energy and Delaware 87ers. Young began to gain momentum as a head-coaching candidate a year ago, interviewing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets and Suns. Young previously interviewed for head-coaching jobs with the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.
The Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets also interviewed him for jobs this spring, sources said.
Young started his coaching career in 2007 as an assistant at Utah Valley University.
