Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams (right) addresses the media alongside general manager James Jones in May 2019.

The Phoenix Suns introduced their fifth head coach in as many seasons Tuesday, officially welcoming Monty Williams to the NBA team.

The 47-year-old Williams has spent the last quarter-century as a player and coach in the league. He’s grateful for the opportunity to be a head coach again — even with a Suns team that has missed the playoffs for 9 straight years and won just 19 games last season.

Williams says he wants to restore a winning culture to the once-proud franchise.

"I feel like this city has always been a gem in the NBA," Williams said. "People love living here in the off-season, players trained here, people love being here in the off-season, but we want to make it more than that."

Williams also said he exchanged "tough questions" with Suns owner Robert Sarver about the direction of the team, and that Sarver took 'ownership' of the franchise's upheaval in recent years.

The Suns will pick sixth in next month’s NBA Draft.