Valley Suns Announce Head Coach Paul Jesperson's Coaching Staff
Published on October 24, 2025 under NBA G League (G League)
Valley Suns News Release
PHOENIX - The Valley Suns, the G League affiliate of the Phoenix Suns, today announced head coach Paul Jesperson's coaching staff, naming Gerard Martin, Ben Sanders and Jordan Ash as assistant coaches. Jimmy King and Cedric Blossom were named as Video and Player Development Assistants.
Martin joins the Valley Suns for his first season after previously serving as assistant coach and director of player development with the Perth Wildcats of Australia's National Basketball League (2023-2025). Prior to his time in the NBL, Martin spent three seasons at California Baptist University (2020-2023) as director of player development and graduate assistant. The Manly, Australia native played five seasons at Grand Canyon University (2014-2019), appearing in 119 games and earning All-WAC Defensive Team honors twice. Martin also represented Australia at the FIBA U17 and U19 World Championships and competed for the Australian Institute of Sport and The Scots College in Sydney.
Sanders returns for a second season to the Valley Suns as an assistant coach, a position he took after serving as the head coach for Ostioneros de Guaymas in Mexico the season prior. Before his first head coaching position in Mexico, Sanders was an assistant coach at the G League level for six seasons, seeing stints with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Long Island Nets, Windy City Bulls and the Wisconsin Herd. Sanders, who played collegiately at Southwestern University, got his first full time coaching job at Alfred university after Video Coordinator roles for the New Mexico Lobos and Rice University.
Ash also returns to the Valley Suns for a second season after serving as an assistant coach alongside Jesperson during the team's inaugural season in 2024-25. Before coming to Phoenix, Ash was the player development coordinator for the Chicago Bulls. Before his time in Chicago, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the University of Texas men's basketball team during the 2021-22 season. He played collegiately for Northwestern University for four seasons (2015-19) before playing a fifth season at Wright State during the 2019-20 season.
King joins Jesperson's staff as a player development & video assistant after serving in the same role with the Indiana Pacers last season, contributing to player development, film breakdown and opponent scouting. A native of Indianapolis, King was a standout at the University of Indianapolis, where he ranks second all-time in program history with 542 assists and finished his career as a 1,000-point scorer. A two-time All-GLVC First Team selection, he was also named to the NABC All-Region First Team, CCA All-Region First Team, and was a 2019-20 NABC Division II All-Star. Before his collegiate career, King starred at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, where he set 12 school records and finished as the program's second-all-time leading scorer behind current UIndy head coach Paul Corsaro.
Blossom comes to Phoenix after spending two seasons as a Graduate Assistant with Penn State Men's Basketball (2023-2025), assisting with player development, scouting and film analysis. Prior to his time at Penn State, Blossom played professionally overseas in Luxembourg, Argentina and Chile following his collegiate career. A native of Columbia, Maryland, Blossom was a 1,000-point scorer and All-MEAC honoree at Morgan State University, where he earned his degree in Broadcast Journalism in 2016. He also brings coaching experience from Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, Maryland, and several national basketball camps.
Tickets to the Valley Suns Home Opener on November 14 at 7 p.m. against the Rip City Remix at Mullett Arena can be purchased on the Valley Suns website. To learn more about season memberships and group packages, email tickets@thevalleysuns.com or call (602) 379-8000.
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