The Los Angeles Lakers made the hiring of Frank Vogel official as their new coach for the next NBA season, after firing Luke Walton in mid-April.
“We are excited to recruit Frank Vogel as the head coach of the Lakers. Vogel has a successful track record in the NBA Playoffs and has the qualities we were looking for for the role, including detailed game preparation, hard work and holding players accountable to the highest standards in basketball, “said the general manager. , Rob Pelinka, in a statement.
“I am very excited to have this opportunity to join the Lakers, such a prestigious organization that I have admired for a long time,” said the 45-year-old.
Vogel, who will be the 27th coach in franchise history, has a 304-291 (.511) record as a coach during the 595 games he led the Indiana Pacers (2010-2016) and the Orlando Magic (2016- 2018).
With the Pacers he reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014, falling in both cases to the Miami Heat of LeBron James, whom he will now have the opportunity to coach.
The California franchise had negotiated in recent weeks with Philadelphia 76ers assistant Monty Williams and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Ty Lue, but the former signed for the Phoenix Suns and did not reach an agreement with the latter.
Thus, after a new round of interviews, the Angelenos decided on a renowned defensive specialist like Vogel.
Legendary point guard Jason Kidd, a former Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks manager, will be one of his assistants. AFP