Watch: Suns announce hiring, introduce new head coach Frank Vogel
Jun 6, 2023, 9:53 AM | Updated: 12:36 pm
The Phoenix Suns formally named Frank Vogel as their replacement for Monty Williams as head coach on Tuesday.
Vogel spoke for the first time during a press conference at 12 p.m. MST on Tuesday.
He will join Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke at approximately 1 p.m.
“We are thrilled to welcome Frank Vogel to the Phoenix Suns as our new head coach,” owner Mat Ishbia said in a release. “This is an important day for our organization as we continue to build a championship culture on and off the floor.
“Frank is an accomplished coach who understands how to win an NBA championship, which is our priority. Frank brings incredible character and work ethic, making him the ideal leader to continue to build one of the best organizations in all of sports.”
Vogel was reportedly a finalist along with Suns associate head coach Kevin Young and former Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers.
Young reportedly will remain on staff as the top assistant, and Phoenix has also agreed to add former Memphis and New York head coach David Fizdale to Vogel’s staff.
“It is an honor to be named head coach of the Phoenix Suns,” Vogel said via the release. “The Suns are a first-class organization, and I am grateful for Mat Ishbia and James Jones to have this opportunity. This is a highly talented team that is committed to winning, and I am excited to get to work.”
Vogel, who becomes the Suns’ first head-coaching hire under Ishbia, has been a head coach for three different teams across 11 seasons for a record of 431-389.
His two biggest accomplishments were helping the Indiana Pacers rise to prominence in the early 2010s and then winning a championship with the Lakers in 2020.
Vogel has been a head coach for the Pacers (2011-16), Orlando Magic (2016-18) and Lakers (2019-22).
From 2001-11, Vogel was an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Pacers. In 2011, he was a mid-season replacement as interim head coach and helped get Indiana to the playoffs. He was then given a permanent position as head coach for his first foray into leading a team.
He is now the 21st coach in Suns history.
“We are excited to announce Frank as our new head coach and I look forward to partnering with him as we elevate our program,” Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones said in the release.
“Frank is one of the best coaches in the game, a proven winner and has led some of the league’s toughest defenses over the last decade. He is the right leader and program builder to take our team to the next level.”
