D’Antoni is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year and the creator of the “7 Second or Less” offense while with the Suns.
PHOENIX — Former Phoenix Suns Head Coach Mike D’Antoni has been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and is among the Class of 2026 to be enshrined in August, the team announced on Saturday.
D’Antoni, who coached the Suns for five seasons from 2003-2008, created the “7 Seconds or Less” offense and had the second-best winning percentage in franchise history. The “7 Second or Less” offense revolutionized the game with its pace, spacing and three-point volume, the team said.
He is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year winner. He won coach of the year during the Suns’ 2004-2005 season when the team went 62-20.
D’Antoni coached for a total of 16 seasons. In addition to the Suns, he coached the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets.
During D’Antoni’s tenure as the Suns’ head coach, the team won three Pacific Division titles and made two trips to the Conference Finals in four playoff appearances.
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The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, NBA’s Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL’s Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football’s Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.