ORLANDO, Fla. – It is clear new Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley and team president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman share a similar vision to rebuild the new era of the franchise.
“It’s a family atmosphere, I believe in the family,” Mosley said on Monday.
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This past season, the Magic traded three of the team’s best players: Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon.
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“Jamahl is considered a rising star. His coaching path is rooted in player development,” Weltman said.
Mosley said he wants to begin his run as a head coach by building good relationships with the players.
“I think it’s about the human first,” Mosley said.
The new coach was an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks for seven years, the Cleveland Cavaliers for four years and the Denver Nuggets for four years. Mosley shared how being an assistant coach for 15 years allowed him to earn a head coaching job.
“It allowed me to take some things from each coach,” Mosley said.
Mosley coached under George Karl, Byron Scott, Mike Brown and Rick Carlisle. According to Mosley, Carlisle showed him each side of the game and how to coach young players and veteran players.
“It was a masterclass in coaching,” Mosley said about working with Carlisle.
He also shared what made the Orlando job very appealing.
“This opportunity was about development and growth,” Mosley said.
The new coach has already started forming relationships with the team. He said he has texted several players and talked with some of them at the gym.
On defense, Mosley said he wants to have high communication and he shared his offensive style.
“I want to play with pace, space and I want to play with the pass,” Mosley said.
Mosley said the team’s guards will make games tough for their opponents and the team has a lot of length.
Orlando finished the 2021 season with a 21-51 record.
The Magic will have the No. 5 and No. 8 picks in the 2021 NBA draft.