ORLANDO, Fla. — After interviewing for multiple NBA head coaching positions over the past several years, Sean Sweeney says his conversations with the Orlando Magic felt unlike any of the others.
Sweeney was officially welcomed Thursday as Orlando’s new head coach — clear evidence he impressed the organization during the hiring process. But he said the Magic also left a strong impression on him through the way they conducted the interview.
“The Magic were the most thorough and they did the best job of asking questions and asking follow-ups to get to layers underneath the first answer,” Sweeney said. “Some interviews that I’ve had in the past, I did not get that same level of detail. And given how I am and how I want to coach, that stood out.”
The two sides reached an agreement approximately three weeks ago, though Thursday’s formal introduction was delayed because Sweeney had been occupied in his role as associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs during their run to the NBA Finals. Even as the interview process began during the Spurs’ postseason, Sweeney remained focused on his duties in San Antonio. Once the Finals concluded, he moved quickly to get to Orlando and begin his new role.
“When we finally did get in front of him, it was a long day and he had a lot going on,” Magic President Jeff Weltman said. “It was during the playoffs and not only was he able to kind of compartmentalize his work with the Spurs and present well to us, but he really knocked our socks off. In Sean Sweeney, we have somebody who, in our minds, has the potential to be one of the elite coaches in this league.”
Sweeney said he has no doubt this opportunity is the right one for him.
Unlike some first-time head coaches who inherit struggling rosters, Sweeney steps into a situation with an established young core. Led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic have reached the playoffs in three straight seasons — but three consecutive first-round exits prompted the organization to make a change. Former coach Jamahl Mosley, who has since moved on to the New Orleans job, was let go following a successful five-year tenure, and Sweeney emerged as the top target to replace him.
“I was fortunate this summer to have some different things to look at,” Sweeney said. “But this is the only one I wanted to look at.”
Sweeney, who turned 42 earlier this month, has spent roughly half his life working as a basketball assistant at various levels. His career began at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the Academy of Art University before he entered the NBA as a video coordinator with the then-New Jersey Nets. He went on to serve as an assistant with the Nets, Milwaukee, Detroit, Dallas, and San Antonio. He credits a wide range of coaches who shaped his philosophy, including Bob Knight, Tim Grgurich, Rick Majerus, Jason Kidd, Chuck Daly, and his most recent boss with the Spurs, Mitch Johnson.
He also spent the past year with an office right next to Gregg Popovich — the NBA’s all-time leader in coaching victories.
“Coach Pop’s office was right next to mine and I was very fortunate,” Sweeney said. “When you’re next to a guy who’s the greatest coach of all time daily, the fact that he even said hello and knew my name meant something to me. So yeah, Coach Pop, he built that program and guys like me are fortunate to be part of it. I’m very grateful and that’s part of the reason why I’m here now.”
Known for his directness and intensity, Sweeney wasted no time sending a message to the Magic players who attended Thursday’s press conference. It was equal parts motivational and cautionary.
“I’m going to listen to you guys as much as I talk to you,” Sweeney said. “Now, how I talk to you may be different than how I listen.”
