Phoenix Suns coaching staff enjoying 'once-in-a-lifetime' NBA All-Star experience

CLEVELAND — Suns assistant coach Bryan Gates got the pulse of Team Barry before Friday's Rising Stars Challenge at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

"It's one of the things that you don't really know the players," Gates said. "We did a little function before with NBA Cares and I was at the station with (Cavaliers players) Isaac Okoro and Evan (Mobley) and said, 'How you guys doing? You ready to play?' They were like yeah, 'We're ready to compete."

Game on.

"From the start of the meeting, they just had a different feel than the rest of the groups," Rockets guard Jae'Sean Tate. "We were going over plays and concepts while the other team was shooting halfcourt shots. I was all for it. I'm undrafted. I'm like, hey, whenever there is money on the line, I'm with it."

So Gates found himself standing and instructing as Team Barry beat Team Isiah, 25-20, to win the mini-tournament.

The target score was 50 for the semifinals, 25 for the finals.

"It was a fun game," Gates said.

The coaching staffs of the Suns and Heat were split among the four teams: Team Worthy, Team Payton, Team Isiah and Team Barry. Hall of Famers James Worthy, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas and Rick Barry drafted seven players out of 12 rookies, 12 sophomore and four players from NBA G-League Elite.

Brian Randle, Michael Ruffin, Jarrett Jack, Jamal Gross, Kevin Schwartz and Gates were with Team Barry, while Suns associate head coach Kevin Young, Mark Bryant, Randy Ayers, Steve Scalzi and Corey Vinson made up Team Isiah's staff.

"Seeing all the coaches out there, MB, KY, everybody, B-Randle, I was at the crib with my cheers and my happy face on," Suns All-Star Devin Booker said. "Just celebrating. I know what we've been through as a team and we're having fun doing that. The now everybody gets to bring their families out there and experience All-Star weekend. It's unbelievable."

Gates was all business Friday, though.

He often stood and instructed during the mini-tournament, showing how much he was into it. The Team Barry players seem to have the same approach.

"They definitely wanted to win," said Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham, who was voted Rising Stars MVP playing for Team Barry. "They let us know that, but I think just the group of guys that they drafted and put around each other, we all wanted to win. We all wanted to compete. It was a lot of fun being around them and being around guys that wanted to win as bad as me."

Unlike Gates, Young stayed seated soaking up Thomas' words of wisdom.

"I actually really liked sitting next to Isiah Thomas and hear his commentary and his thoughts. That's kind of why I was sitting down and being able to have a little camaraderie with our staff."

With the Suns having the best record in the Western Conference, 48-10 at the break, Monty Williams and his staff made the trip to Cleveland to coach Team LeBron.

"It's a credit to the whole organization obviously from the top to down, especially from (Suns General Manager James Jones) and Mont to the players. Just kind of what our mission is and where we're headed as a franchise and as a team. Having everybody on the same page all the time. It's a credit to everybody and (Friday), we got to be out there. Very enjoyable for our staffs."

While there are more games to play for a team that's looking to win an NBA title, the Suns coaches are enjoying the All-Star experience with their families.

Ayers (2001 with Philadelphia) and Bryant (2012 and 2014 with Oklahoma City) are the only two Suns coaches to work on staffs in previous All-Star games.

"Just appreciative of everyone's efforts with our organization," Young said. "We try to do things on a daily, everyday basis. It's paid off to this point so we'll be able to have that in the back of our minds and enjoy it."

Now the Suns staff are gearing up to coach Team LeBron for Sunday's All-Star game.

"To be able to be around obviously the best players in the world," Young said. "Maybe not a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but maybe close to it. Just trying to enjoy the experience. Really cool to see Monty leading the group. We're excited for him, too."

With Kevin Durant drafting Booker, his Tokyo Olympics teammate, Williams and his staff will have to coach against the Suns' three-time All-Star.

However, they do have Chris Paul and LeBron James.

"Chris, he told us, if I remember this, he's never lost an All-Star game," Gates said. "So he's talked about the competitive nature of it. I feel pretty comfortable."

A smiling Young quickly interjected and let it be known Paul's presence won't allow the Suns staff to just go through the motions.

"He'll be more competitive than anyone out there," Young said. "That'll force us to step our game up for sure."

Then Gates added, "I'm not the perfect mileage guy, but I think our team captain was born and raised what, 45 minutes from here?"

LeBron. Akron. Homecoming.

Team LeBron is 4-0 in the All-Star game by the way.

Paul did injure his right shooting hand in Wednesday's win over Houston, but Booker said he didn't expect that would keep the 12-time All-Star out of Sunday's game.

He reiterated that point during Saturday's All-Star media day.

"He looks fine to me," Booker said. "I saw he had it wrapped up a little bit, but I don't think it's something big."

The NBA didn't name an injury replacement for Paul, who is in Cleveland, but did have what appeared to be a soft cast on his hand.

Paul said he wants to play Sunday.

Again. Game on.

"Listen, that guy could crawl out there, he'd want to play," Young said. "He'll be all over Coach Mont I'm sure tomorrow (Saturday) as we get ready for it."

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns coaching staff enjoying 'once-in-a-lifetime' NBA All-Star experience