Vogel's Vision

The Orlando Magic’s new head coach talks about his basketball philosophy, optimism, family—and his strategy for taking the team to the playoffs.

- Peter Kerasotis

THE JOURNEY FROM South Jersey to head coach of the Orlando Magic was unconventional, if not improbable.

Frank Vogel was a good high school basketball player, but only good enough to play at nondescript Juniata College, a Division III Pennsylvania school that employed a football coach as its part-time basketball coach. Knowing he wanted to get into coaching, Vogel made the agonizing decision to forgo his senior season to transfer to the University of Kentucky, where he hoped to learn at the feet of legendary coach Rick Pitino. Once there, Vogel cajoled UK’s coaches into any role with the team. He got it, and his first job was the humbling assignment of picking up jock straps off the locker room floor. Eventually, Vogel worked his way into a job editing practice and game film.

He worked hard and excelled well enough that when Pitino became head coach of the Boston Celtics in 1997, he brought Vogel along as his film guy. Eventually, Vogel became a top NBA assistant and in 2011, Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird hired him to be the team’s head coach. Though Vogel turned the Pacers into a perennial playoff power, it wasn’t enough, and Bird didn’t renew Vogel’s contract following the 2015-16 season, whereupon the Magic immediately hired him. His short-term goal is to lead the Magic to where they haven’t been since 2012—the postseason.

The 43-year-old coach recently sat down for a question-and-answer session.

Orlando magazine: Are you standing by your statement that you’re going to be a playoff team this season? 

Frank Vogel: Absolutely.

OM: What has convinced you of that?