The Los Angeles Lakers held an introductory press conference to welcome Frank Vogel as their new head coach on Monday, and one of the first things Vogel said is that he wants to get the very best out of his players:
“I see a lot of promise of what we can be,” said Vogel, according to Lakers reporter Nick Hamilton. “Holding guys accountable, and our guys are going to be coached hard. They will be challenged to be their best.”
While the Lakers are led by a seasoned veteran in LeBron James, they certainly have a lot of young players like Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, all of whom can still be molded.
Article Continues BelowThey are likely whom Vogel is focusing on when he is speaking of coaching the team hard, because it seems rather hard to imagine a coach employing those tactics on James, who is known for having difficulties getting along with head coaches.
Vogel last coached in the NBA with the Orlando Magic during the 2017-18 campaign, but he is most known for his run with the Indiana Pacers from 2010-11 through 2015-16 that resulted in five playoff appearances and a pair of Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014, both of which ended in losses to LeBron's Miami Heat.
The 45-year-old then moved on to coach the Magic for two seasons, but did not come close to having the same type of success.