Suns Officially Name Frank Vogel as Head Coach
Just hours before the Phoenix Suns are supposed to meet with reporters at the Footprint Center, the team officially named Frank Vogel as their head coach in an official statement:
"The Phoenix Suns have named Frank Vogel as the team’s new head coach. Vogel, who is highly respected throughout the league for his culture building and championship pedigree, joins one of the best teams in the NBA with the Suns on a mission to develop a championship team and establish a long-term program in Phoenix.
“'We are thrilled to welcome Frank Vogel to the Phoenix Suns as our new head coach,' said Owner Mat Ishbia. 'This is an important day for our organization as we continue to build a championship culture on and off the floor. Frank is an accomplished coach who understands how to win an NBA championship, which is our priority. Frank brings incredible character and work ethic, making him the ideal leader to continue to build one of the best organizations in all of sports.'
"As the Suns conducted their coaching search, Vogel stood above due to his track record of success throughout his time as an NBA head coach, bringing to the Suns the experience of what it takes to capture a title and build a winning culture around talented players. His creativity and ability to build relationships were also significant factors as Vogel has established the skill to connect with and develop players, and to construct a dynamic coaching staff.
“'It is an honor to be named head coach of the Phoenix Suns,' said Vogel. 'The Suns are a first-class organization, and I am grateful for Mat Ishbia and James Jones to have this opportunity. This is a highly talented team that is committed to winning, and I am excited to get to work.'
“'We are excited to announce Frank as our new head coach and I look forward to partnering with him as we elevate our program,' said President of Basketball Operations and General Manager James Jones. 'Frank is one of the best coaches in the game, a proven winner and has led some of the league’s toughest defenses over the last decade. He is the right leader and program builder to take our team to the next level.'
"Vogel joins the Suns with 11 years of experience as an NBA head coach with the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, winning an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020. In three of his seasons as a head coach, Vogel’s team has led the league in defensive rating and he has five times guided his team to a top-three finish in defensive rating; since he entered the NBA head coaching ranks in 2010-11, no head coach has led the league or ranked in the top three in defense more often than Vogel.
"In his first season as Lakers head coach in 2019-20, Vogel helmed the team with All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis to the West’s best regular season record and a 16-5 playoff run on the way to the championship. He has led his team to the playoffs in seven of his 11 seasons as a head coach, three times progressing to the conference finals including the league title in 2020. Vogel holds a .557 winning percentage in 88 postseason games as a head coach, which ranks 15th in NBA history among those who have coached at least 70 career playoff games.
"Vogel, who becomes the 21st head coach in Suns history and the first to have won an NBA title as a head coach, holds a 431-389 career regular season record as a head coach with three division titles and two times earning a No. 1 seed for the playoffs. He remains the Pacers’ franchise leader in NBA wins, has five times been named an NBA Coach of the Month, three times finished in the top five in NBA Coach of the Year voting and twice been a head coach for the NBA All-Star Game.
"A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Vogel was a student manager for head coach Rick Pitino and contributed to the Wildcats’ national title in 1996. The native of Wildwood Crest, New Jersey transferred to Kentucky following three years as a starter for Division III Juniata College. Vogel got his start in the NBA as the head video coordinator for Pitino with the Boston Celtics before earning his first assistant coaching role with Boston in the 2001-02 season. He served as an assistant coach with the Celtics (2001-2004), Philadelphia 76ers (2004-05) and Pacers (2007-2011) until the 2010-11 season when he took the reins as Indiana’s interim head coach and led the team to the playoffs."
