An early list of Orlando Magic coaching candidates
Billy Donovan
Season | School | W | L | W-L% | AP Pre | AP High | AP Final | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004-05 | Florida* T | 24 | 8 | .750 | 23 | 16 | 16 | |
2005-06 | Florida* TFN | 33 | 6 | .846 | 2 | 11 | NCAA Champ | |
2006-07 | Florida* RTFN | 35 | 5 | .875 | 1 | 1 | 3 | NCAA Champ |
2007-08 | Florida | 24 | 12 | .667 | 20 | |||
2008-09 | Florida | 25 | 11 | .694 | 19 | 17 | ||
2009-10 | Florida* | 21 | 13 | .618 | 10 | |||
2010-11 | Florida* R | 29 | 8 | .784 | 9 | 9 | 15 | |
2011-12 | Florida* | 26 | 11 | .703 | 8 | 7 | 25 | |
2012-13 | Florida* R | 29 | 8 | .784 | 10 | 2 | 14 | |
2013-14 | Florida* RTF | 36 | 3 | .923 | 10 | 1 | 1 | |
2014-15 | Florida | 16 | 17 | .485 | 7 | 7 | ||
Career | Overall | 502 | 206 | .709 | ||||
Florida | 467 | 186 | .715 |
Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/2015.
Billy Donovan’s name keeps coming up in coaching rumors especially as they are connected to the Magic. It is hard to discount him as a candidate at this point.
No one doubts Donovan’s credentials in college. His guard-focused screening offense could theoretically work at the NBA level too. And he is a defensive wizard with the way he gets his young players to trap and pressure. It seems like if he is ready to jump to the NBA, now might be a good time.
Would the Magic repeat their (failed) hire from 2007?
Kevin Ollie
Season | School | W | L | W-L% | AP Pre | AP High | AP Final | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012-13 | Connecticut | 20 | 10 | .667 | 21 | |||
2013-14 | Connecticut* FN | 32 | 8 | .800 | 18 | 9 | 18 | |
2014-15 | Connecticut | 20 | 15 | .571 | 17 | 17 | ||
Career | Connecticut | 72 | 33 | .686 |
Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/2015.
The rumor mill continues to churn. With some uncertainty existing with Scott Brooks and Oklahoma City, the NBA’s eyes are quickly turning to another college coach — Kevin Ollie.
Ollie took over a Connecticut program that was on probation from the NCAA. Once free from that vice, he led the upstart Huskies to a national championship. No one doubts his energy or his ability.
Oklahoma City players apparently loved him as an assistant and it seemed to foretell head coaching success. This is a guy that could easily grow with a team while still demanding success. And he knows the NBA game well, unlike many other college coaches.
For now, though, Ollie is saying he has no intention to pursue any other position. So you might have to cross him off the list.
Nate McMillan
Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Tm | W | L | W/L% | Finish | W | L | W/L% |
2000-01 | SEA | 38 | 29 | .567 | 5 | |||
2001-02 | SEA | 45 | 37 | .549 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .400 |
2002-03 | SEA | 40 | 42 | .488 | 5 | |||
2003-04 | SEA | 37 | 45 | .451 | 5 | |||
2004-05 | SEA | 52 | 30 | .634 | 1 | 6 | 5 | .545 |
2005-06 | POR | 21 | 61 | .256 | 5 | |||
2006-07 | POR | 32 | 50 | .390 | 3 | |||
2007-08 | POR | 41 | 41 | .500 | 3 | |||
2008-09 | POR | 54 | 28 | .659 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .333 |
2009-10 | POR | 50 | 32 | .610 | 3 | 2 | 4 | .333 |
2010-11 | POR | 48 | 34 | .585 | 3 | 2 | 4 | .333 |
2011-12 | POR | 20 | 23 | .465 | 4 | |||
Career | 478 | 452 | .514 | 14 | 20 | .412 | ||
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/2015.
Let me add a few off-the-wall names to our early coaching list. McMil
Nate McMillan has had plenty of experience as a NBA head coach with mixed success in the Pacific Northwest. A lot has happened since his last job though.
He has been the lead assistant under Frank Vogel in Indiana as they have made their rise. He was also a key assistant to Mike Krzyzewski with the U.S. National team.
McMillan has always been styled as a player’s coach and something of a development coach too. Isn’t that what the Magic just had?
Yes, but McMillan has had some success and some experience as opposed to the previous coaching group.
Other Names
Kaleb Canales: He was an interim coach with the Trail Blazers and had limited success. Players liked him. But the Blazers went with Terry Stotts. Canales is now an assistant coach with the Mavericks and the great Rick Carlisle.
Ettore Messina: This one is way off board. The Magic would be going with another coach with little NBA coaching experience. Messina is one of the best coaches in Euroleague history. He is a three-time Euorleague coach of the year. He has spent the last two years working with the Spurs after a year with the Lakers as a special consultant. It is clear he has NBA aspirations. And bringing in a European-style offense could help the Magic overcome some of their offensive woes. Again, this pick is more personal favorite and way off board.
Next: Nikola Vucevic holds a special responsibility for Magic's rebuild