Frank Vogel Is LeBron James New Head Coach, For Better Or Worse

Basketball | 5/13/19
frank vogel
Victor Decolongon/Getty Images
Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

After failing to get either Monty Williams or Tye Lue to put pen to paper as the Lakers 27th head coach, Los Angeles hired Plan C: Frank Vogel. Williams took a better job offer in Phoenix while Lue felt disrespected when the Lakers told him Jason Kidd needed to be on his staff.

Vogel, 45, now faces the toughest challenge of his head coaching career by joining the LeBron James coaching carousel. Will he butt heads with the mega superstar, or take a step back and let the King call the shots as he did during his second run in Cleveland?

James is entering the second year of his four year contract with the Lakers, and this year feels critical. The one time NBA Champion struggled through injuries, locker room turmoil, and more losses than anyone thought possible. Head coach Luke Walton was fired, and the ownership group was embarrassed after failing to trade for Anthony Davis. There is no time for a rebuild, so bringing in a coach with a history like Vogel is an interesting choice to say the least.

As a head coach with the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic, Vogel had mixed results. In Indiana, he went 595-304 and made the playoffs five times. That stunning success didn't follow him to the Magic, where he was fired after two disappointing seasons.