What Suns Fans Should Know About New Coach Frank Vogel

On Friday, the Phoenix Suns hired Frank Vogel as their new head coach after firing Monty Williams on May 13. The former Los Angeles Lakers coach who led the team to the franchise’s 17th title in 2020 will now take the reins in the Valley in hopes to secure the Suns’ first title in franchise history 

Vogel, known for his defensive minded coaching style, has been a head coach in the NBA for 11 seasons with time spent in Boston, Philadelphia, Indiana, Orlando and Los Angeles. Vogel has been the head coach for three teams the Pacers, Magic and Lakers, including a video coordinator for the Celtics and an assistant for the Pacers and Sixers and an advanced scout for the Lakers and Washington Wizards. 

Vogel has plenty of experience with being in the league for 20 years, as he has accumulated over 800 games with a .526 winning percentage.

In 1991, Vogel became a starter for Juniata College at the Division III level and played for three years before transferring to the University of Kentucky to pursue his degree in Biology. 

While at Kentucky, Vogel served as a student manager of the basketball team under coach Rick Pitino. Vogel graduated from Kentucky in 1998 and followed Pitino to Boston where the recent college graduate got his start in the NBA.

Vogel began as a video coordinator for the Celtics during the 90’s and eventually worked his way up to an assistant coach role from 2001-04. In 2005, Vogel took a job as an advanced scout for the Lakers then the Wizards in 2006.

In 2007, Vogel was hired as an assistant for the Pacers. He served as an assistant coach before taking the interim position in January of 2011. Vogel led the Pacers to the playoffs in the same year before officially being named head coach in the following offseason.

The Pacers under Vogel had excelled into an Eastern Conference title contender. In six seasons for Indiana, Vogel won over 400 games and appeared in the playoffs five of six seasons including two conference finals appearances in 2013 and 2014. Vogel and the Pacers agreed to part ways in 2016. 

Under Vogel, the Pacers identified themselves as a stingy defensive team that forced opponents to take tough shots and were not afraid to play with physicality. Vogel walked away as the all-time leader in wins.

Vogel’s time in Orlando (2016-18) proved not as victorious. While in Orlando, Vogel took control of a rebuilding team looking to gain NBA experience. The Magic’s record was 54-110 while under Vogel and experienced a great deal of turnover in the franchise.

In May of 2019, Vogel took the head coaching job for the Lakers looking to capitalize off a talented team led by some of the league stars.

 During the 2020 pandemic season, the Lakers cruised to an NBA best 52-19 record. During the playoffs in the NBA bubble, the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in six games to claim the NBA title and give coach Vogel his first ring as a coach. Vogel was credited with bringing a defensive mindset to an already accomplished and talented offensive squad.

In Vogel’s second year in Los Angeles, the Lakers fell to the Suns in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals after an injury-riddled year.

Vogel’s third and final season with the Lakers saw their record plummet to 33-49. After a large turnover of the once championship roster, Vogel struggled to find rotations to help the storied franchise reclaim its dominance and title expectations they established just two years prior.

In April of 2022, Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka made the decision to fire Vogel

after a disappointing year which saw the Lakers finish 11th in the Western Conference.

Vogel has plenty of NBA experience in his 20 year career being around the league. His knowledge for defensive coverage and positional leverage in the paint with big men are two reasons why President of Basketball Operations and General Manager James Jones, along with Owner Matt Ishbia trusted Vogel in Phoenix. 

The Suns have made it clear that defense and toughness will be part of the identity after an abundance of scoring was brought in with F Kevin Durant. Vogel brings character and intelligence to a position that has massive expectations not only around the league but in the Valley as well.