The Biggest Change for Magic Under New HC Sean Sweeney

Sean Sweeney is in his first season with the Orlando Magic, and the team is already feeling different after the first practice of training camp.

Orlando Magic head coach Sean Sweeney poses for a picture during media day at AdventHealth Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic are officially in the Sean Sweeney era, and the change is already being felt just one practice into training camp.

Sweeney was officially introduced as the Magic head coach back in June, so he's gotten a chance to acclimate himself with his new team. The players are already feeling a shift from where the team was under Jamahl Mosley for five years to now.

"I think what makes Sweeney very unique is how direct he is," Franz Wagner said after practice.

"You know he'll speak about things right away, right then and there, and bleed that into everybody else. I think the whole coaching staff is on that same page, and you know I think he has a good sense of humor too. So he's not afraid to show that too, which I think is important to have both sides. Obviously, we want to be super serious and get stuff done, but it's also a game we want to have fun playing."

Sean Sweeney is Very Clear About Intentions

Orlando Magic head coach Sean Sweeney takes media questions during a press conference at AdventHealth Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A word that hummed around several different players during Media Day to describe Sweeney was "accountability," and that appears to be the biggest change from the previous regime to now.

The Magic, who have been eliminated in the first round in each of the last three seasons, have been craving for a staff that asks more of them and harps on them when expectations aren't met.

"It's very important," Wagner said of Sweeney's directness. "Obviously, we still got a young team, and I think we still got a lot of room to grow and room to mature as well. And I think being able to be held accountable and hold ourselves accountable is really important."

Sweeney is already seeing the Magic respond to what he and the rest of the coaching staff are asking of him, which is a positive sign of what's to come.

"Well, the buy-in has been great. Just generally, the guys have been really committed not only to their individual execution but also to team execution, and I think you know we saw that today in their effort and their intent," Sweeney said.

The Magic will slowly use these three weeks of training camp to further familiarize themselves with the new terminologies that Sweeney is bringing into the fold. The more comfortable the Magic get in Sweeney's new system, the better off they will be in the long run.