The first day of practice does not have a lot of surprises.
Teams work out together a lot more under the coach's direction in voluntary workouts in the weeks leading up to training camp. There is at least a baseline of knowledge for most players heading into the season.
And the Orlando Magic made it a point to get back to Orlando sooner to prepare for a new coaching staff.
But the first day of training camp is different. Now the work begins and the clock starts ticking before the start of the season. Now the work needs to be more focused and directed with that goal in mind.
This is when it really hits the team that this is a new coach and this is a new reality.
It hit the Magic fast with a fast-paced, detailed-to-the-second practice to open training camp Tuesday morning. It had the Magic moving quickly with the urgency that this team is attacking this season with.
This was the Magic's first introduction to a Sean Sweeney practice and team.
"It's very organized," Franz Wagner said after Tuesday's first practice. "Every drill is scheduled to the second pretty much. It's running to the next drill and jogging to the water bottles when you get a little break. It was not too long, but very intentional and very intense as we were going."
There is a lot to get through in these early practices. The team is establishing its foundations and its processes with a new coaching staff. Everyone is still learning a lot about each other.
But there is only one way to get at it: And that is to attack it. This team is diving headfirst into the process.
The teaching process
The biggest hurdle for the Orlando Magic is the teaching of the way Sean Sweeney wants to run things.
Most of the players on the Magic's roster have been working under coach Jamahl Mosley for most of their careers over the last five years. They arrived at camp for most of the past five years knowing what the coaches asked of them and how they would ask it of them.
The biggest adjustment the team has had to make is learning new terminology and the new ways the team wants to operate.
While the Magic are building on a strong foundation that had this team among the best defensive teams for most of this playoff run and saw this team reach the playoffs, Sweeney is having them do things a bit differently.
The test of this training camp is how well he can teach how his team will play and implement those standards.
"The way we are approaching things is: What do we need to do today, where are we at, how did we do with it, and what do we need to improve on tonight or tomorrow," Sweeney said after Tuesday's practice. "It's just a continuation and trying to elevate what we have been doing as a group. We have done a good job setting a high standard for ourselves and lay down expectations for each other and live up to that and elevate it."
Tuesday's first session was spent mostly focused on installing the team's defense. Sweeney said that the defense is ahead of the offense, which is typical in most training camps. Orlando got some contact drills and playing in.
Part of the process is stepping in and making immediate corrections as they happen. A big challenge both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner said was learning the new terminology and the new way Sweeney and his staff wants to run things.
Those processes are different, even though it is the same roster and Sweeney will emphasize defense as the team's identity.
Even though the Magic have a strong foundation from the previous five years, they are starting from scratch.
"It's super important that we learn that," Wagner said after Tuesday's practice. "It's difficult because most of us played with the same terminology pretty much. It will take time to get rid of that. They are doing a good job holding us accountable. I think we will get it pretty quickly."
The Magic will begin focusing on offense and installing those sets in the evening session -- a non-contact session. The pieces will be coming together as quickly as they can.
Continuing to grow
The media is still learning what a Sean Sweeney team is. The first preseason game on Oct. 7 will reveal some of what that looks like. But it will be a continually developing thing as the season begins.
Sweeney has spelled out some of the things he has focused on: Playing to the team's strengths, minimizing their weaknesses, playing together and covering for each other, getting the most shot opportunities while limiting the other team's quality shots. The simple coach-speak things that every team likely focuses on to some degree.
It is always the how that is the trick. That is what the team is working on.
The Magic have only taken the first step in that process.
"The way we are doing some things defensively are different than what we are used to," Paolo Banchero said after practice Tuesday. "Really, just the terminology and some of the principles is different. But I think it will definitely turn our defense up the way they want us to play."
The first day was an energetic, fast-paced day. Sweeney said the good thing is that players were talking to each other as much as the coaches were, making sure they understood these concepts and everyone was on the same page. The early work before camp has helped the team get started with its new staff.
The Magic needed to get back to their defense. And everything they are learning should get the team back on track.
It just takes some time to learn what and how the coaches want.
Sweeney lauded the team for their willingness to learn and accept the coaching. The work they put in on the first day was good. It is a good place to start.
"These first couple of days will be difficult," Franz Wagner said after practice Tuesday. "Just understanding it will get easier if you fight through now. We obviously have big goals and big expectations for ourselves. Just understand you have to go through those moments."
There are still challenges ahead. There is still much work to do.
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