By John Denton
Sept. 23, 2016
ORLANDO – Between moving his family to Central Florida, learning everything that there is to know about Orlando, familiarizing himself with his new Orlando Magic players and shuttling his girls to separate soccer practices, Frank Vogel has had a whirlwind offseason.
Highly successful as head coach of the Indiana Pacers for 5 ½ seasons, Vogel surprisingly found himself out of work on May 5. He wasn’t unemployed long as the Magic worked feverishly to hire one of the NBA’s most respected head coaches.
Vogel, 43, had a host of choices, and he opted to become Orlando’s head coach on May 20. Landing Vogel allowed the franchise to score big in the offseason with a head coach who is highly regarded for his teaching abilities, game management and good-natured approach.
Of all the Magic’s offseason acquisitions – and there have been plenty with seven new faces on the roster Vogel might have been the biggest one of all. He brings stability and smarts to the Magic – traits that Pacers superstar forward Paul George raved about as Vogel was leaving Indiana and taking over in Orlando.
The offseason change has forced Vogel to go at warp speed this summer as he’s tried to familiarize himself all things Orlando. Along the way, he’s encountered several Magic fans out in the Central Florida community and he’s already picked up a thing or two from them.
``They’re ready and they’re excited,’’ Vogel said of the Magic fans he’s talked to. ``They’ve been very complimentary of the job that I did in Indiana, they’ve talked about being excited about me being here and they believe in the talent here the same way that I do. They are frustrated that they haven’t been able to get over the hump the last couple of years, but they believe in this team and they are ready to start winning. And I’m right there with them.’’
With his first training camp in Orlando set to open on Tuesday at the Amway Center, OrlandoMagic.com sat down with Vogel to discuss defense, playoff expectations, defense, the talent on the roster, defense, his coaching style and, well, more defense. Without further ado, here’s the question-and-answer session with Orlando’s new head coach:
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: You have said since May that there were so many things that drew you to this job with the Magic, citing ownership, management, the roster and living in Orlando. What is your excitement level heading into the start of training camp in a few days?
COACH VOGEL: ``My excitement level is a 10 out of a 10, especially because I have such belief in this team. There are a lot of things that I want to get incorporated right away. I think our style of play is going to be fun for our guys and for our fans. And I really think that all of these guys are really thirsty to win. The attitudes here are really strong and I’m looking forward to getting to know these guys better.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: With a new coaching staff and so many new players, how much of your first training camp with the Magic going to be about building chemistry and that offensive and defensive togetherness that you have spoken previously about?
COACH VOGEL: ``No question, a lot of our camp is going to be a lot about that (building of chemistry). One of the most important things that you can achieve as a team is positive chemistry. If you don’t achieve that, you’re not going anywhere. So we’ll talk about that all the time. My job is to scheme-wise tie together the parts on the court while letting their individual games find each other. That’s just going to come with time. It’s my job to see to it that all of the guys are working together on both ends.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: You’ve built your reputation in the NBA as one of the game’s best defensive coaches. Considering the talent on the roster, how special of a team can the Magic be on the defensive end of the floor?
COACH VOGEL: ``We do have some really good defensive talent and it’s going to come down to how well they learn, how well they commit and how important (defense) is to them. We’re going to put them in positions to have great defensive success. We’re going to drill the heck out of it in practice and it’s going to be something that’s one of the most important things for us. We want to take pride in being a great, great defensive team.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: The trend all throughout the NBA is playing ``small ball,’’ yet the Magic went out this summer and acquired two big other men to pair with 7-footer Nikola Vucevic. Because both Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo have the lateral quickness to switch out onto perimeter players, how much will that give you the flexibility to play big lineups against smaller teams?
COACH VOGEL: ``I think that (defensive ability of Ibaka and Biyombo) is huge. And, really, I think that’s the way that I would build a team if I was starting from scratch. To have the ability to not have to change your lineup every night – if you’re playing a big team, you don’t have to take your smalls out; and if you are playing a small team, you don’t have to pull your bigs. When you have bigs who are versatile and can play both styles then you can stay true to who you are every night. By not changing every night you are able to strengthen what you do.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: I know that, as a coach, you want to see how the various combinations look on the court playing together before making a final decision, but how do you see the big-man rotation with Vucevic, Ibaka and Biyombo playing out?
COACH VOGEL: ``They’re all going to have to be ready to play big minutes. I don’t think we’ll see a lot of Serge at (center) early on because of Vooch’s and Biz’s abilities. But that is an option if need to go that way and we’d be in a good position to do it because Aaron (Gordon) and Jeff Green can slide into (power forward) some.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: Even though you are coaching most of these players for the first time, you know for the most part what you will be getting from the veteran players on the roster. Conversely, it’s young players such as Aaron Gordon, Mario Hezonja and Elfrid Payton who have the most room to grow. Do you see their ability to improve as major keys to the Magic being able to make a dramatic jump this season?
COACH VOGEL: ``They’ve all got to continue to improve, so that’s big for us. The first couple of years in this league, you’re still trying to figure things out and Mario will still have some of that this year. But he has ability right now. People call it upside and potential, but he has the ability to have on-the-court success right now. With him, it’s really going to be about minimizing mistakes and being in the right spots defensively. When guys are able to be solid in those areas, their minutes go up and then their talent comes out. That’s what we’re looking for from all three of those young guys.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: A recurring theme, it seems, among fans and national media is that while this Magic team will likely be fearsome defensively, there are questions about the offense. Can you score enough and do you have enough perimeter shooting?
COACH VOGEL: ``We’ll see. I have the same question marks. We do definitely have more defensive talent than offensive talent, but we’ve got some guys who can score the ball and know how to play. More importantly, we’ve got guys who can run and we want to be a running team. When we get stops on the defensive end, then it’s going to be a track meet and we’ll be in attack mode.
``Elfrid is one of the best open-court guys in terms of going coast to coast, getting into the paint and making things happen. Aaron Gordon, obviously, is a great runner. (Evan) Fournier can run for threes and Serge is a great runner for a big guy. So we’ve got some great athleticism on the offensive end. But they’ve got to come together, move the basketball, take good shots and honor all of the offensive principals that lead to good basketball.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: Since taking over the job here in Orlando you have stressed repeatedly that you feel this team has the talent to be in the playoffs this spring. However, projections by ESPN and Las Vegas have the win total set at around 36. What has to happen for the Magic to greatly exceed those expectations and get into the playoffs?
COACH VOGEL: ``When you’re making a meal, you have to look at the ingredients that you have. The ingredients that I’m looking at look good. I feel like I have the ingredients here to get the job done. Obviously, things have to go our way and we’ll need a little bit of luck along the way as does every team that is successful. But you’ve got a team here that is going to be great defensively. When you defend and rebound and you trust the pass on the offensive end, you’re going to have the ability to win a lot of games. We have the ability here to do all of that.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: Now, let’s shift gears and go into rapid-fire mode and get your thoughts on a variety of different topics.
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: How would you describe your coaching style?
COACH VOGEL: ``I’d say I have a confidence-building type of approach. I’d say that I teach more than I yell. I partner up with these guys and don’t behave like a drill sergeant. I work together with them to get the job done. This is me using my knowledge and my ability to analyze ourselves and our opponents to put together great plans in terms of building our system and getting our team ready game-to-game. I partner up with these guys to build a winning product.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: What have your conversations been like with Serge Ibaka? What have you learned about him? What are his motivations?
COACH VOGEL: ``He really cares about the defensive end. He likes to play defense, but he’s been very inquisitive about how we’re going to get the job done. He’s been almost challenging me, telling me, `We’ve got to make sure this happens, make sure that happens and make sure the other guys are in the right spots.’ He wants the unit to perform on the defensive end and it’s not just about him stopping his man. He’s very bright and I think he’s going to be a defensive leader.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: Coaching Indiana last spring, you faced Bismack Biyombo for seven games in the playoffs. He went on to play ever better against Miami and Cleveland. Can he play like that for a full season?
COACH VOGEL: ``Absolutely because that’s who he is. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to play those types of minutes before. He’s one of the best offensive rebounders in the game. And, statistically, he was the best rim protector in the game last year. In terms of field goal percentage against, he led the league. So he’s going to be a big-time, big-time presence for us.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: You and GM Rob Hennigan were forced to get to know one another quickly last May before you were hired and then the two of you worked closely during the free-agent courting period. What have you learned about working with him?
COACH VOGEL: ``He’s really bright and it gives me confidence knowing that he’s really smart about this business. In terms of evaluating talent, putting pieces together and understanding the cap, he’s great. Also, in how he reads the organization, he’s a togetherness guy as am I. People like working with him and for him. We all know that he’s going to put the right guys in their spots and let them do their jobs.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: What are the strengths of the coaching staff you have assembled around you?
COACH VOGEL: ``I think we have good experience and intelligence. Chad Forcier is one of the best assistant coaches in the NBA and I don’t care what he was called in San Antonio (as a player development coach). You talk to anyone in the league and he’s one of the most revered, reputable and respected assistant coaches in the league. So he’s going to be great in helping manage us.
``David Adelman is a brilliant Xs and Os guy, as is Corliss (Williamson). Corliss is a great leader and he did a really good job being a head coach in college, so he understands (that role). Having been a head coach, Corliss is going to help me a lot with managing the game and managing the team. And, obviously, Jay Hernandez is a great player development coach.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: In a league where you can never have enough shooting, you need Jodie Meeks’ ability to knock down 3-pointers at a high rate. How long will you be without him as he recovers from the fractured bone in his foot?
COACH VOGEL: ``Probably quite a bit and he’s going to take some time to get back. We probably won’t have him to start the season, but hopefully soon after that.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: You’ve coached against Vucevic for five years and you got to see him deliver a masterful performance last spring against your former Indiana team. How much are you going to need his scoring and perimeter shooting on the floor?
COACH VOGEL: ``He’s going to be one of our most important offensive players and one of our most important players, in general. The versatility that he has, that’s what makes him so special. You can throw it to him down low and ask him to get (a basket) himself. He’s great in the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop game and you can space him out on the floor to allow Bismack, Serge or any of these other guys to roll to the basket. He’ll get our guys spacing because he has a unique skill set. We’re going to need him.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: Which describes you better – loves to win or hates to lose?
COACH VOGEL: ``Hates to lose! But I’m not sure what that says about me.’’
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM: Chemistry leads to winning? Or winning leads to chemistry?
COACH VOGEL: ``I’d say both, but I think chemistry leads to winning first.’’
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.