Headline:
- “Final Flight: Beloved Suns Assistant Coach Passes Away Days After Emotional Finals Run”
Story:
Phoenix, AZ — June 4, 2025
In a heartbreaking turn for the Phoenix Suns and their devoted fanbase, longtime assistant coach and former player Jared “J.T.” Taylor passed away early Wednesday morning, just days after the Suns’ emotional run to the NBA Finals ended in a crushing Game 7 loss.
Taylor, 52, had been quietly battling an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer for the past year, a struggle he kept largely private out of a desire to focus on the team’s success. Those closest to him say he insisted on coaching through the pain, refusing to miss a game—even while undergoing treatment.
“J.T. was the heart of our bench,” said Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer through tears during a press conference. “He gave this team everything—his knowledge, his strength, his laughter, even when he was suffering in silence.”
A former Suns point guard from the late ’90s, Taylor was revered in Phoenix not just for his tenacity on the court, but for the mentorship he offered to players young and old. Devin Booker credited Taylor as “the reason I stayed grounded,” while Kevin Durant called him “the glue behind the scenes.”
During the Suns’ historic playoff run this year, many fans noticed Taylor more animated on the sidelines, clutching a notebook with names scribbled on the back—reportedly a list of former Suns players and friends he said he was “carrying with him to the end.”
In Game 6 of the Finals, after a surprise Suns comeback to force Game 7, Taylor briefly addressed the team in the locker room, saying: “Whatever happens next, you boys already gave me one more miracle than I deserved.”
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego ordered flags to be flown at half-staff through the weekend. Fans gathered outside Footprint Center, laying flowers, candles, and handwritten notes beneath a banner that read, “Fly High, Coach J.T.”
The Suns have confirmed they will wear a black armband with Taylor’s initials next season, and the team plans to dedicate a section of the arena in his name.
As the city mourns, a quote from Taylor himself—shared in a recorded message left with his family—has spread across social media:
“This game, this city, these people… they saved me every single day. I just hope I gave back half as much as I got.”
RIP Jared Taylor. Ph
oenix won’t forget you.
