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Phoenix Suns coach candidate Chris Quinn helped Miami Heat stay together this season

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Phoenix Suns coach candidate Chris Quinn helped Miami Heat stay together this season


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The Miami Heat experienced one of their toughest seasons in recent memory.

Going 37-45, Miami suffered its first losing record since 2018-19.

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The Jimmy Butler drama ultimately led to trading the star forward just two years removed from him leading the Heat to the 2023 NBA Finals.

The Heat emerged from the play-in to make the playoffs as an eighth seed only to have the Cleveland Cavaliers sweep them in the first round. Miami lost Game 4 by 55 points, suffering the worst margin of defeat in a game to close a series.

Through it all, Chris Quinn remained steady.

League sources say the Heat’s associate head coach helped keep Miami together and made sure the team didn’t go “sideways.”

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Now, Quinn is a head coach candidate for the Phoenix Suns, who also experienced a disappointing and drama-filled season that ended with just 36 wins and the firing of Mike Budenholzer after one season.

Cleveland Cavaliers assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Suns assistant David Fizdale and Quinn are candidates for the job, league sources confirmed to The Arizona Republic this week.

Quinn has been an assistant under Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra since 2015. He previously worked as an assistant for the Heat’s G League team, Sioux Falls Skyforce, in the 2014-15 season.

He also played three seasons for the Heat, with the first two under Pat Riley (2006-08) and the third one for Spoelstra (2008-09).

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Quinn is Spoelstra’s “right hand man” when it comes to in-game adjustments, sources say. He has been in contention for NBA head coaching vacancies in recent years.

Quinn’s ability to connect with players is deemed impressive. He’s big on player development as evidenced by him leading the charge to have coaches available 24/7 for players to work on their game.

A Notre Dame graduate, Quinn played a role in the development of shooting guard Tyler Herro, who became a first-time All-Star for the Heat this season.

Herro averaged a career-high 23.9 points in his sixth NBA season out of Kentucky.

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Quinn was a director of player development on the collegiate level at Northwestern before joining the Heat.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.





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Miami, FL

Josh Flagg Lists $10 Million Miami Mansion Across from The Beckhams

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Josh Flagg Lists  Million Miami Mansion Across from The Beckhams


Josh Flagg
Selling $10 Million Miami Home in Billionaires’ Row

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Miami, FL

Passenger convicted of sexual abuse of child on cruise ship that left Miami

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Passenger convicted of sexual abuse of child on cruise ship that left Miami


A Malaysian man has been convicted of sexually abusing a child while on board a cruise ship that sailed out of Miami, authorities said.

Lay Ong, 67, was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 23 of abusive sexual contact of a minor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a news release Friday.

According to an arrest affidavit, Ong had been a passenger aboard the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas that departed PortMiami on March 29 and returned April 5.

While the ship was in international waters, Ong encountered two boys, ages 7 and 9, who were playing in a corridor outside their cabin, the affidavit said.

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Ong started speaking with the children and began touching the 7-year-old’s head and chin before he reached down and squeezed the child’s genitalia, prosecutors said.

According to the affidavit, the kids reported the incident to the 7-year-old’s parents, saying Ong had asked them if they were boys or girls then said “let me check” before grabbing the child.

Security cameras on the ship captured the encounter, the affidavit said.

Ong faces a maximum of life in prison at sentencing. He’s also subject to deportation after his sentence.

“Abusing a child is an unforgivable act,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, said in a statement. “This verdict makes clear that anyone who preys on a child—anywhere, and under any flag—will be held to account. We will continue working with the FBI to protect young victims and bring their abusers to justice.”

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President Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, officially becomes part of Miami golf recruiting class – WTOP News

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President Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, officially becomes part of Miami golf recruiting class – WTOP News


CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Kai Trump knew more than a year ago that she wanted to go to the…

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Kai Trump knew more than a year ago that she wanted to go to the University of Miami and play golf for the Hurricanes.

And the granddaughter of President Donald Trump never changed her mind.

Miami announced that Kai Trump is part of its women’s golf signing class on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA Division I signing window for most sports. She actually filled out the letter of intent last week in a ceremony at her high school — not far from her grandfather’s Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach — but Miami could not acknowledge her signing or even her commitment until now because of the NCAA rule regarding signing dates.

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How she’ll fare in college is anyone’s guess. But this much is certain: Miami golf is about to be seeing a whole lot more attention.

“We view any potential exposure as positive for Miami golf,” Hurricanes coach Janice Olivencia said. “Our current team is a very mature and intelligent group of women. So, we anticipate that we will handle all the attention with great composure and enthusiasm.”

Kai Trump, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr., committed to Miami in August 2024. She’s making her LPGA debut this week in The Annika at Pelican Golf Club, explaining in a news conference there Tuesday why Miami was her pick.

“I love the coaches. It’s close to home. Great school,” Kai Trump said. “I love the people there. My cousins went there as well, so I know people that have gone there. You know, it’s a great university and I’m looking forward playing for them.”

She’s an influencer on social media; her behind-the-scenes video from election night has more than 5.1 million views on YouTube, and her video from going to the Ryder Cup with her grandfather has been viewed about 2 million times on YouTube alone. And yes, she plays golf with her grandfather, whose affinity for the game is no secret.

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“We play a lot,” Kai Trump said. “We have a great time out there.”

Her LPGA debut comes this week courtesy of a sponsor’s exemption. Tournament host and Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam played with Kai Trump earlier this week and said she was impressed by the 17-year-old’s ability to ask questions.

“I just don’t know how she does it, honestly,” Sorenstam said. “To be 17 years old and hear all the comments, she must be super tough on the inside. I’m sure we can all relate what it’s like to get criticism here and there, but she gets it a thousand times.”

Kai Trump is open about her strengths and weaknesses when it comes to the game. She’s a big hitter; even Sorenstam was impressed with her length off the tee. The short game — being able to score around the green — is a work in progress.

“Kai will bring tremendous energy and excitement to Miami,” Olivencia said. “She’s a multi-sport athlete with a strong competitive spirit and a true love for the game of golf. Kai is very committed to her growth, both as a player and a person. And her emphasis on development will continue to lead her to new heights.”

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The university hasn’t revealed much regarding what it’ll be like to have the president’s granddaughter on campus, but the Hurricanes are hoping that Kai Trump’s college experience will be as normal as possible.

“Our team is very welcoming,” Olivencia said. “They trust in us to continue to invite players to the program that will contribute in their own way, to raise the level of this team. In addition to that, we’re very fortunate at Miami to have a plethora of resources and great support systems. This class will certainly have the access our current student athletes have at The U from the minute they get on campus.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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