Frank Vogel
Frank Vogel | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 21, 1973 |
| Occupation | Basketball coach |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Known for | Head coach of Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns; assistant coach for Dallas Mavericks |
Frank Paul Vogel (born June 21, 1973) is an American basketball coach currently serving as the primary assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Vogel has held head coaching positions with the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns, notably steering the Lakers to the NBA championship during the 2020 season. His coaching journey began with assistant roles at the Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics.
Early years
Raised in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, Vogel’s family heritage in the Philadelphia/South Jersey region dates back to the mid-1870s, originating from ancestors who emigrated from Rhenish Bavaria. While in eighth grade, he made an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman performing a basketball spinning stunt.
At 17, Vogel survived a fire that destroyed his childhood residence. He completed his high school education at Wildwood High School in 1991.
Although recruited by two institutions for basketball, Vogel opted to attend Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, attracted by its science curriculum. There, he was a starting point guard on their Division III basketball squad. In 1994, he transferred to the University of Kentucky, where he worked as student manager for the Wildcats under coach Rick Pitino and played on the reestablished junior varsity team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1998.
Boston Celtics (2001–2004)
Vogel began his coaching tenure with the Boston Celtics as head video coordinator under coach Rick Pitino. After five years in this capacity, he was elevated to assistant coach for the 2001–02 season.
Philadelphia 76ers (2004–2005)
He subsequently took on an assistant coaching role with the Philadelphia 76ers, followed by positions as an advance scout for both the Los Angeles Lakers (2005–2006) and the Washington Wizards (2006–2007).
Indiana Pacers (2007–2016)
In 2007, Vogel joined the coaching staff of the Indiana Pacers as an assistant under former colleague Jim O'Brien. After O’Brien’s dismissal on January 30, 2011, Vogel was appointed interim head coach and led Indiana to its first postseason berth since 2006. He was officially named head coach on July 6, 2011.
Prior to the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals, Vogel publicly criticized the Miami Heat for excessive flopping, which resulted in a $15,000 fine imposed by the league.
On April 7, 2013, Vogel guided the Pacers to their first Central Division championship since 2004. The team concluded the 2012–13 campaign with a 49–32 record, securing third place in the Eastern Conference. They defeated both the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks in six games each before facing Miami in the Eastern Conference finals. The series extended to seven games, with Indiana narrowly losing after a controversial final play in Game 1 involving key defender Roy Hibbert. Vogel later explained his decision to bench Hibbert was tactical but admitted reconsidering it afterward.
On January 14, 2014, Vogel was selected as head coach for the Eastern Conference squad at the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. That season, he led Indiana to a franchise-best start and a 56–26 record, finishing atop the Eastern Conference standings. Nevertheless, they were again eliminated by Miami in the conference finals.
Vogel secured a two-year contract extension through 2016. Despite losing star player Paul George to injury for most of one season and narrowly missing playoff qualification due to tiebreakers, he rebuilt the roster and returned Indiana to postseason competition in 2016. The Pacers were ousted by the Toronto Raptors in a seven-game first-round series.
Following that playoff loss on May 5, 2016, team president Larry Bird announced that Vogel’s contract would not be renewed, citing a desire for "a new voice." At departure, Vogel ranked as Indiana’s franchise leader in NBA coaching victories—second overall behind Bobby "Slick" Leonard, who holds the most wins including those from his ABA tenure.
Orlando Magic (2016–2018)
On May 20, 2016, Vogel was appointed as the head coach of the Orlando Magic. He took charge of a youthful roster during a period of front office transition, as GM Rob Hennigan was succeeded by John Hammond. Over the course of two seasons, Vogel's teams posted a combined record of 54–110 and failed to reach the playoffs in both campaigns. He was relieved of his duties on April 12, 2018, following the conclusion of the 2017–18 season.
Los Angeles Lakers (2019–2022)
Vogel assumed the role of head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers on May 13, 2019. During the 2019–20 season, he molded the Lakers into one of the league’s premier defensive squads, guiding them to a 52–19 record—the best in the Western Conference and third-best overall. As a result, Vogel served as head coach at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game due to the Lakers’ top Western Conference standing. In the postseason, his team swept through the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets in five games apiece. The Lakers then captured the 2020 NBA Finals title over the Miami Heat in six games, marking their 17th championship and tying with Boston for the most in NBA history. The squad spent over 100 days competing within the 2020 NBA Bubble after play resumed following the pandemic suspension.
The following year (2020–21 season), injuries to key players Anthony Davis and LeBron James hampered team success. The Lakers ended with a 42–30 record, secured a playoff berth through the NBA Play-In Tournament as the No. 7 seed, but were eliminated in the opening round by the eventual Western Conference champions, the Phoenix Suns.
Entering the 2021–22 season as favorites in the conference after acquiring Russell Westbrook, the Lakers struggled with frequent injuries and inconsistent lineups—deploying 41 different starting combinations. They finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 33–49 record and missed postseason play. Vogel was dismissed on April 11, 2022, concluding his tenure with an overall record of 127–98 across three seasons.
Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)
Vogel was named head coach of the Phoenix Suns on June 6, 2023. Under his leadership, Phoenix achieved a 49–33 regular-season record and secured a playoff spot as the No. 6 seed. However, they were swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2024 playoffs. Vogel was released from his position on May 9, 2024, after completing one season.
Dallas Mavericks (2024–present)
On October 2, 2024, Vogel joined the coaching staff of the Dallas Mavericks as a consultant supporting head coach Jason Kidd. Subsequently, he was elevated to an assistant coaching role.
Head coaching record
|- | style="text-align:left;"|Indiana | style="text-align:left;"| | 38||20||18||.526|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Central||5||1||4|| | style="text-align:center;"|Lost in First round |- | style="text-align:left;"|Indiana | style="text-align:left;"| | 66||42||24|||| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Central||11||6||5|| | style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conference semifinals |- | style="text-align:left;"|Indiana | style="text-align:left;"| | 81||49||32|||| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Central||19||11||8|| | style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conference finals |- | style="text-align:left;"|Indiana | style="text-align:left;"| | 82||56||26|||| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Central||19||10||9|| | style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conference finals |- | style="text-align:left;"|Indiana | style="text-align:left;"| | 82||38||44|||| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Central||—||—||—||— | style="text-align:center;"|Missed playoffs |- | style="text-align:left;"|Indiana | style="text-align:left;"| | 82||45||37|||| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Central||7||3||4|| | style="text-align:center;"|Lost in First round |- | style="text-align:left;" |Orlando
| style="text-align:left;" | | 82 || 29 || 53 || || style="text-align:center;" |5th in Southeast || — || — || — || — | style="text-align:center;" |Missed playoffs |- | style="text-align:left;" |Orlando | style="text-align:left;" | | 82 || 25 || 57 || || style="text-align:center;" |4th in Southeast || — || — || — || — | style="text-align:center;" |Missed playoffs |-
|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"
| style="text-align:left;" |L.A. Lakers | style="text-align:left;" | | 71 || 52 || 19 || || style="text-align:center;" |1st in Pacific || 21 || 16 || 5 || | style="text-align:center;" | Won 2020 NBA Finals |- | style="text-align:left;" |L.A. Lakers | style="text-align:left;" | | 72 || 42 || 30 || || style="text-align:center;" |3rd in Pacific || 6 || 2 || 4 || | style="text-align:center;" |Lost in 2021 NBA playoffs First round |- | style="text-align:left;" |L.A. Lakers | style="text-align:left;" | | 82 || 33 || 49 || || style="text-align:center;" |4th in Pacific || — || — || — || — | style="text-align:center;" |Missed playoffs |-
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center" colspan=2>Career |
902
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480
|
422
|
|
|
92
|
49
|
43
|
|
Personal life
In 2002, Vogel wed Jenifer. The couple is parents to two daughters.