Indiana Pacers all set to appoint Frank Vogel as their new head coach - NBA Update
The Indiana Pacers are on the verge of roping in their interim coach Frank Vogel as the new head coach. On Tuesday, the Pacers president of basketball operations, the legendary Larry Bird stated in a press meeting that the Pacers
are almost certainly going to give this opportunity to their interim coach Frank Vogel.
According to Bird, the decision is almost final and they will wrap the deal up after going through some minor details. Bird told that Vogel deserves this job after all the hard work he had put in the later part of the regular season
and the playoffs. The final few procedures and hitched in the contract are expected to be over within two weeks time.
The 38 year old Frank is going to be the successor of former Pacers coach Jim O’ Brien. Before becoming the interim coach, Vogel worked with Indiana as an assistant coach and was a part of O’ Brien’s coaching team. This was not
the first time Vogel was assisting O’ Brien, as he remained his assistant in Boston Celtics from 2001 to 2004 and from 2004 to 2005 in Philadelphia 76ers.
After parting his ways from the Sixers, Vogel remained with the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards as an advance scout. Vogel took over the interim coach job in 2011 when O’ Brien was fired from his post. Frank made an immediate
impact as the Pacers went on a much need winning streak and successfully registered a berth in the 2011 playoffs for the first time after 2006.
Vogel was the Pacers first choice since the very beginning, but still they took all the time to ensure that they will make the best decision in the favour of the team. Pacers General Manager David Morway is hopeful that this will
turn around the things in their favour and Pacers fans will also appreciate this long awaited decision.
Morway said, "Larry and I said from the beginning that we were going to take our time. We were going to do our due diligence. We were going to spend quite a bit of time talking to Frank and research some other candidates, and when
we felt we had spent some time with Frank, and he had done some of the necessary work that we'd talked about, and we had looked into some options and felt comfortable with a decision, that we would talk to (owner Herb) Simon, and that's where we are right
now."
Bird also revealed that the other coaching candidates were interviewed for the assistant coach job, as the Pacers are looking to provide Vogel a top assistant, who can share his load.
The delay in the decision might also have come due to the fact that Vogel was actively involved in the planning of the upcoming draft. The Pacers have No. 15 pick in the first round NBA Draft and Vogel has reportedly zeroed in
on four players for this slot.
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