NBA, Suns Fans React to Frank Vogel Hire

PHOENIX -- There's a new sheriff in town.

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly hiring Frank Vogel as their next head coach, ending a near three-week search in the desert. Vogel beat out names such as Doc Rivers and Kevin Young among others to secure the job.

The Suns have now found their replacement for Monty Williams - who was fired after four years of service in Phoenix. He landed quite alright on his feet after the Detroit Pistons threw a massive contract at him.

A new era is set to begin here in the Valley, and there's been some pretty interesting reactions to the hire - which we'll begin with Rivers pulling his name out of the Suns' job literally a minute before the news of Vogel's hire broke,

Doc Rivers withdrawing his name for the Suns job 24 seconds before Frank Vogel is reportedly named the head coach: pic.twitter.com/gcHH5Foyeb
— Jordan Hamm (@JordyHamm) June 2, 2023

Vogel touts championship experience after winning the 2020 NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers while also taking the Indiana Pacers to two Eastern Conference Finals as well.

Vogel watching Doc Rivers pull his name from Suns head coaching search pic.twitter.com/xaYhtjSTxN
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) June 2, 2023

Young - an assistant under Williams before he was let go - was thought to have been the clear leader in the clubhouse. Yet the more Phoenix waited, the more suspicions rose that he wasn't their guy.

I'm kinda surprised it's not Kevin Young after all, but Frank Vogel is a good coach. Proven it in multiple places and was the scapegoat with a bad Lakers roster after winning a title. We know the defense will be capable. Question is what the Suns will do offensively
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) June 2, 2023

It will be a change of pace for the Suns, who will now be under a coach known for his defense. Questions now rise about the future, particularly with Deandre Ayton.

Frank Vogel is one of the best defensive tacticians in the NBA. Consistently has his teams elite on that end of the floor.

Vogel also puts a heavy emphasis on rim protecting bigs (ex: Roy Hibbert and Anthony Davis).

The big question now pivots to whether Deandre Ayton is a fit…
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 2, 2023

When it comes to matching salaries, it looks like Phoenix got a steal:

$6.2M annually for Frank Vogel compared to $13M annually for Monty Williams. Crazy https://t.co/4ZCay9JIdZ
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 2, 2023

At least fans certainly hope so. There's some canny resemblance to a certain TV show now with Vogel joining Arizona Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon in Phoenix.

These two mf’s are really head coaches of two Arizona sports teams. pic.twitter.com/mxVcrb5rLi
— La Jackie 🪱 (@jsandiegoo) June 2, 2023