In addition to the Los Angeles Lakers hiring head coach Frank Vogel, they surrounded him with a loaded coaching staff full of experience.
Lead assistant coach Jason Kidd as well as assistant coach Lionel Hollins both have plenty of head coaching experience. Likewise Phil Handy is extremely well respected after stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, resulting in a pair of championships as an assistant coach.
As a matter of fact, some wondered whether Vogel — known for being soft-spoken and non-confrontational — would be able to control his coaching staff, let alone the outspoken veterans on his roster. But there has been nothing but smooth sailing for the Lakers and Vogel’s assistants have nothing but praise for the head coach.
In an interview with Tania Ganguli of Los Angeles Times, Handy praised Vogel’s film sessions, noting how he uses comedy in order to be able to constructively criticize the team:
“We find a lot of different things to laugh about that are also good points for our team,” said Phil Handy, one of Vogel’s assistant coaches. “His film sessions, at some point there’s always going to be some comedy to it. It’s not about always chewing us out. Constructive criticism comes with laughter as well.”
Meanwhile, Kidd called Vogel a great leader and noted how he doesn’t allow himself to get stressed out:
“Frank is a great leader,” Lakers assistant Jason Kidd said. “He has that beautiful mind. And he’s just real chill. … He just doesn’t stress over a lot of stuff and that’s as simple as it gets.”
This is something that doesn’t come easy to many head coaches in any sport. The job is extremely stressful and that is even more true for a job like the Lakers, but Vogel has been able to handle it beautifully. Many players have said that a head coach panicking and stressing can leak down to the team, but that isn’t the case with these Lakers.
Vogel has defied the odds, bringing this Lakers team together quicker than anyone has anticipated and that has not only been with the players.
He has the ultimate respect of his coaching staff which has allowed them all to be able to work in harmony to bring the best out of this team. So far, it has led to early success and if that remains on the same path, it could eventually result in a championship.