Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel is busy setting a tone for his team. As he introduces himself, a positive vibe emerged that connected with his new players.
Frank Vogel may carry himself as a quiet and genial, but focused person. It is hard to imagine when talking to him that he can raise his voice.
There is a seriousness about him though. He is not the rah-rah, fire-and-brimstone coach. That is not his approach. But he is not simply there to be a friend and encourager either.
In the Orlando Magic’s first few days of practice it was clear exactly the kind of tone and seriousness Vogel would bring. But also the levity he would bring.
This is not the same coach the Magic had last year in the hard-charging, always-serious coach Scott Skiles. But this is not some pat-on-the-back development coach the Magic saw in Jacque Vaughn.
Vogel is somewhere in the middle of those extremes and yet his own person. And certainly facing new pressures.
If Jacque Vaughn was the babysitter for the first few years of a rebuild and Scott Skiles was the electro-shock to get the team to competitiveness, Vogel is the coach who can do a bit of both. The coach who can connect to players, help them improve and push them to perform better on the basketball court.
And the mood and tone Vogel has created has already rejuvenated the Magic heading into this critical season.
“Off the court, Frank is a really good guy,” Aaron Gordon said at media day. “You can just tell he is genuine and sincere. I hope he brings that to the court. When he gets on the court I still want the essence of fun, we’re here to play a game. But at the same time, this is our job, this is our livelihood and we take it seriously. I hope we’re going to push each other. It’s going to be a good mix of a lightness and a levity but at the same time a seriousness and a diligence.”
It is easy to say that early on in camp and through an offseason. Optimism abounds at 0-0 and there is no adversity when there are no games or minutes to fight over.
Vogel though has brought a new energy to the team, even before camp. And it is very clear.
His preparation and demeanor impressed many Magic players during the offseason. He met and spoke with many players independently in the offseason. They rarely talked about basketball in those conversations though. Much of their conversation centered on life and getting to know each other as people.
Evan Fournier said having a coach that cares about a player as a person is valuable. It helps the team build chemistry. And with just six returning players to the roster with a new coach, that could be critical to the team achieving its goals.
Vogel has a lot on his plate entering the season. The way he approaches and grows this team will be an ongoing story throughout the season.
But the same word kept coming across in those conversations as players described their new coach. Vogel is a positive guy.
And players see that as a potential benefit for the team as they build this season.
“From when I spoke to him a few times on the phone and when I met him when I got here, he seems like a positive guy,” said Nikola Vucevic, who probably has the least interaction with Vogel having arrived back in Orlando the latest following Eurobasket qualifiers. “I think it’s important to stay positive through the ups and downs. And to always have a positive mindset. That will help us a lot. Obviously, when he was in Indiana, his teams did very well defensively. He has very great knowledge about it.”
Vogel undoubtedly brings knowledge. That is certainly some of where his calm demeanor comes from. He is meticulous with his information and his preparation, likely from years in the video basement running tape for the Boston Celtics before he made his way up on Jim O’Brien‘s staff with the Indiana Pacers.
He is hard on his team, pushing them but not over exerting them. He coaches to a standard, while still building his team up, putting them in a position to succeed.
During a drill in the first practice, he stopped playl 20 seconds in unhappy with the effort his team was putting in — even at the end of a long practice — and exhorted them to increase their effort.
They struggled to make their mark. He re-emphasized what it would take to succeed not only in the drill but in games in the future. He then gave them another chance. His team answered the bell.
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The long-term goal was in mind. Vogel is not afraid to get the most out of his players while giving them the responsibility to achieve it.
But Vogel is also not afraid to give things a personal touch either. And that might be what made him such a successful coach with the Pacers.
“I think Frank’s approach is very genuine,” general manager Rob Hennigan said. “I think he really believes in coaching, but at the same time connecting with players. I think his general approach is to treat guys not just with respect, but really it’s a collaboration in his eyes. How are we going to get this done collectively? I think our guys will really respond to that.”
Vogel seems a genuine guy. Serious, but relaxed. Precise and demanding, but encouraging and positive.
This is a new mix for many of the players with the Magic. A sign, as much as anything, of the seriousness of the Magic’s goals this season.
It is certainly a new era for the Magic. Vogel came to Orlando with a .580 win percentage and a strong defensive reputation. He has made the Playoffs in five of the six seasons he has coached in the league.
Those are high hurdles to clear for a team that has not made the Playoffs in four years. But not hurdles the team is running from.
More than anything for Vogel and the attitude he brings is something similar to what Skiles brought last year — a belief.
Vogel appears through his attitude to be someone who instills that belief in his team. It is a belief he expressed from day one. And even with a lot of work ahead, that belief only seems to be growing.
“I wouldn’t be this way if I didn’t really believe it,” Vogel said. “I don’t think you can fake that kind of talk. I really believe this team has what it takes to make the Playoffs and have success in the playoffs. It is going to be about coming together and creating that positive chemistry and a commitment to the defensive end and to the run game and to trust in the pass.”
Vogel will be the Magic’s maestro in leading them to that place. From everything players and management have said, it comes from a very genuine, positive place for a team looking to prove itself.
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Now only time will tell whether this approach sinks in and produces results.