Frank Vogel: Orlando Magic are a ‘sleeping giant’

Frank Vogel is a week away from beginning the Orlando Magic’s quest to return to the Playoffs. After spending time around Orlando, he believes they are ready.

Frank Vogel is about as understated as they come.

As he stood in front of local coaches for the first of two coaches clinics he and his staff conducted at Amway Center on Saturday, he gave the usual optimistic missives about the team. It will be a team that is exciting to watch, committed to defense and, most importantly, looking to win.

With them, he shared some of his philosophy and some of his team’s approach, giving them some feedback and ideas to take back to their teams. That grassroots growth was the point of this day as he and his coaching staff gave discussed basketball with them.

Pretty soon though, Vogel will have to put everything to work.

In about a week his team will gather together for the first time for a practice and begin this long journey. A journey that seems to have everyone within the organization as excited and intrigued as fans observing it from the outside.

Here is where Vogel’s understated nature perhaps belies his confidence and the enthusiasm he has for what this team can become.

Vogel’s confidence though easily comes through. With the players the Orlando Magic have, Vogel is unwavering in his belief they are ready to take the next step.

He has had to sell that to the community as he got settled in Orlando.

In getting out to the community in the last three months, Vogel has seen a fan base excited and hungry for success. And he feels he has a team that can deliver that to them, awakening a dormant fan base and organization.

“It’s very passionate,” Vogel said of his interactions with fans since taking over. “I feel like the Orlando Magic organization has been a little bit of a sleeping giant. it’s a team that really has the ability to be a powerhouse. It is a desirable place to play. It has been dormant for a few years and ready to get back on the map.”

Hiring a coach like Vogel and making all the big moves the team made is certainly done with that in mind. While there are definitely questions about how the Magic will come together, there is unquestionably opportunity.

In talking with fans, Vogel said he has gained a sense the city loves its Magic. In fact, the Orlando Sentinel named the Magic Team of the Year in the Orlando Sentinel’s Best Bets earlier this week. There is a quiet support though. The Magic have struggled on the court for sure.

Orlando is trying to get back to that place they were out five years ago.

The Magic had to make some sacrifices this year, but addressed two of their major needs in adding veteran presence to their roster and some much-needed defense.

The directive is clearly to make the Playoffs. the Magic seem poised to take that step. And everyone seems ready.

“Fans, like our roster, like our whole organization are ready,” Vogel said. “Ready for a change from the rebuild to a team that is actually going to make the Playoffs and make some noise in the Playoffs.”

On Saturday, that end goal is still a long way away. Vogel is still putting his roots down in the community and with the team.

He and his coaching staff discussed their approach and some of the drills they go through with local coaches. It was an exchanging of ideas and philosophies about basketball strategy and the game’s direction.

These kinds of clinics are important in bringing up the next generation of players at the grassroots level. And it continues efforts from the Magic through their Junior Magic and Orlando Magic Youth Basketball Academy.

Vogel will have to bring all those philosophies — the ones that worked in Indiana along with some that are adjusted to his roster — together when training camp opens for the Magic next week.

Vogel will have to spearhead that transformation.

All that is left is to get to work to awaken the sleeping giant.

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“I’m very excited obviously,” Vogel said. “Very much looking forward to it. Did a lot of things this summer to change the makeup of our roster, including the coaching staff and the style of play we’re going to play. I’m looking forward to getting after it.”