It’s almost time for the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend, as fan voting has concluded with the West and East conference starters being decided. LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Lakers have both been given the honor of being Western Conference honors, with LeBron getting the most votes total making him a team captain. Obviously, with the new rules, LeBron will draft his team from the pool of starters and reserves on February 6th (also the NBA Trade Deadline) after reserves are announced on January 30th. Now that that’s out of the way, who’s going to coach these unbelievable superstars? It’s always the coaching staff of the team with the best record and, after the Lakers win against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night, that honor will go to Frank Vogel and his staff.
Anthony Davis said Frank Vogel and his staff absolutely deserve the below honor of coaching the All-Star game, that they’ve been great all year providing structure and game plans on a day-to-day basis. pic.twitter.com/nISutbiEmC
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 24, 2020
Vogel will be joined by Jason Kidd, Lionel Hollins, and the rest of the staff, as this moment has to be special for all parties involved. Vogel, Kidd, and Hollins, in particular, have risen back up through the NBA ranks after previously disappointing stops at different places.
Frank Vogel didn’t even coach in the 2018-19 season after he was fired by the Orlando Magic immediately following their 2017-18 season. The decision was probably deserved after he went 54-110 after his very successful years with the Indiana Pacers. Those years in Orlando even gave the Lakers’ faithful some skepticism about the hire, as no one was sure what type of product Vogel would put on the floor even with LeBron and Davis.
Meanwhile, Jason Kidd did not coach in the 2018-19 season either after his firing from the Milwaukee Bucks. His dismissal, though, came in the middle of the season after the Giannis Antetokounmpo led Bucks were 23-22 at the time. Lionel Hollins has spent even more time than Vogel and Kidd away from the NBA, as he was fired from the Brooklyn Nets during the 2015-16 season after a 10-27 start to the season.
As you can see, this staff has come from the lowest of NBA coaching lows to reach one of the best honors you can receive as a coach short of Coach of the Year or winning the NBA Finals. You have to really admire the hard work and dedication that Vogel and the others have shown to put LeBron, AD, and the rest of the Lakers in positions to win almost every night.
Make sure to tune in February 16th to see the entire staff next to LeBron James and whatever team he picks in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
