Basketball Data Scientist

Phoenix Suns; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Phoenix Suns are seeking a versatile Basketball Data Scientist to turn complex questions into actionable insights, models, and data products. You will work with Basketball Analytics, Engineering, and Basketball Operations to deliver decision-ready analysis that informs front office and coaching decisions.

You should have strong Python or R programming, solid statistical and ML fundamentals, and the ability to communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Professional experience in data science, applied science, or research science.
• Expertise in Python or R for data science and proficient SQL.

Responsibilities

• Own high-impact basketball data science and analysis initiatives.
• Translate ambiguous basketball questions into analytical plans and models.
• Conduct research using statistical modeling, ML, and exploratory analysis.
• Build, validate, and maintain models evaluating players, teams, and lineups.
• Develop tools and data workflows to turn research into decisions.
• Write clean, reproducible Python or R code for analysis and reporting.
• Create dashboards and visualizations to move projects forward.
• Partner with Engineering to productionalize outputs and data products.
• Document methods and limitations clearly for reuse by the analytics team.

Skills

Basketball data science

Python or R for data science

SQL proficiency

Machine learning basics

Clear communication

Job description

SWe’re a collective of visionaries who consistently put people first, knowing that true greatness is forged through shared passion and purpose. Service focused to our core, we’re driven by an insatiable desire to innovate and elevate every experience. Our strength lies in unity, where diverse talents converge to achieve extraordinary feats, and we infuse every endeavor with genuine joy. Here, a relentless pursuit of growth isn't just encouraged—it's the very air we breathe. If you're ready to transcend expectations, unlock unparalleled potential, and dedicate your energy to something truly special, your moment to make an indelible mark on the future of sports and live entertainment starts now.

The Basketball Analytics team partners across Basketball Operations to transform data, research, and technology into actionable insights for front office, coaching, scouting, player development, and basketball strategy stakeholders.

As a Basketball Data Scientist, your practical day-to-day and forward-thinking work will focus on turning complex basketball questions into rigorous analysis, clear models, useful tools, and decision-ready recommendations. Working closely with Basketball Analytics, Engineering, and Basketball Operations, you will own high-impact research and projects that connect technical rigor with real basketball insights.

What You Will Do

• Own high-impact basketball data science and analysis initiatives.
• Translate ambiguous basketball questions into clear analytical plans, research designs, models, tools, and recommendations.
• Conduct basketball research using statistical modeling, machine learning, exploratory analysis, and domain expertise to uncover actionable insights.
• Build, validate, and maintain models that help evaluate players, teams, lineups, tactics, and basketball decision-making questions.
• Work with large and complex basketball datasets, including tracking/spatiotemporal data, play-by-play, event data, lineup/personnel data, scouting information, and other internal sources.
• Develop tools, workflows, and data products that turn research into decisions.
• Write clean, reproducible code in Python or R for analysis, modeling, reporting, and internal workflows.
• Build internal tools, dashboards, visualizations, and workflows when needed to move projects forward quickly.
• Partner with the Engineering team to productionalize high-value model outputs, tools, and data products.
• Document methods, assumptions, limitations, and outputs clearly so work can be reused, reviewed, and extended by the broader analytics team.
• Support basketball stakeholders with clear analysis and communication.
• Collaborate with front office, coaching, scouting, player development, and basketball strategy groups to ensure analysis is connected to real basketball decisions.
• Communicate complex technical findings through clear recommendations, written reports, visualizations, and presentations.
• Help scope problems, prioritize work, and determine when analysis is rigorous enough to inform decisions.
• Use basketball judgment to interpret model outputs, identify limitations, and translate findings into practical next steps.
• Drive innovation and special projects within Basketball Analytics.
• Stay current with relevant research, modeling approaches, and basketball analytics methods.
• Identify opportunities to bring new ideas, methods, and data sources into the organization.
• Use unique basketball data and internal context to create models and insights that are difficult to replicate externally.
• Other duties as assigned.

Growth Areas

• Basketball decision-support models.
• Develop and refine models that help the organization evaluate players, teams, lineups, tactics, and strategic basketball questions.
• Create tools that make model outputs easier to interpret, compare, and apply in basketball contexts.
• Improve the way uncertainty, sample size, role, context, and fit are incorporated into analysis.
• Applied research and model validation.
• Strengthen research standards for testing, validation, backtesting, documentation, and reproducibility.
• Explore new modeling approaches and determine when they can improve existing workflows.
• Translate research into practical outputs that can be used by basketball stakeholders.
• Internal tools and operational workflows.
• Build and improve tools, reports, and dashboards that help stakeholders answer recurring basketball questions.
• Partner with Engineering to move high-value prototypes into more durable, scalable products.
• Create reusable workflows that improve the speed, consistency, and quality of analytics work.

People and Services

• Integrated working with Basketball Analytics leadership and team members.
• Partnership with Engineering on data products, internal tools, and model deployment workflows.
• Support for front office, coaching, scouting, player development, and basketball strategy stakeholders through timely, decision-oriented analysis.
• Cross-functional collaboration to ensure technical work is grounded in basketball context and connected to organizational priorities.

What You’ll Bring

• Basketball Curiosity and Judgment - A strong desire to understand the game, ask better questions, and connect analysis to basketball decision-making.
• Technical Rigor - Strong statistical, machine learning, and research fundamentals with the ability to validate work and communicate uncertainty.
• Practical Builder - Ability to move from idea to prototype quickly, while writing clean and reproducible Python or R code.
• Clear Communicator - Ability to translate complex technical work into clear, concise recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ownership Mindset - Comfortable taking responsibility for ambiguous problems and driving work from question to insight.
• Collaborative Teammate - Ability to work effectively across Analytics, Engineering, and basketball departments with a service-oriented approach.
• Data Science Foundation - Professional experience in data science, applied science, research science, or a similar analytical field; expertise in Python or R for data science and proficient SQL skills.
• Basketball Analytics Experience - Prior sports analytics experience with a college, professional, or NBA team is a plus.

The Player 15 Group is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover every activity, duty, or responsibility. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.