The Indiana Pacers have declared that Frank Vogel has become the team’s permanent successor for Jim O’Brien.
Two league sources, plus an consultatory sent out by the team on Tuesday night announcing that Pacers president Larry Bird and Vogel would meet with the assembled media Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. ET, confirmed what has been the worst kept private it Indiana basketball since the Pacers’ playoff run ended.
Vogel helped guide the Pacers to their first postseason appearance since 2006, guiding them to a 20-18 record to finish the regular season. The Pacers were eliminated by Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Chicago Bulls in five games in the first round, but put up a battle from start to finish against the favored Bulls.
One of the major elements working in Vogel’s favor, per one of those sources, is that he was able to recruit former Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw to join him as the new lead assistant for the Pacers. Shaw, a nominee for several head coaching positions around the league the past two seasons, brings a title pedigree, as both a player and coach, with him to Indianapolis. Shaw interviewed for the Pacers job in 2007 before O’Brien was hired.
Vogel’s hiring leaves just two other coaching situations unsettled. Kurt Rambis still has not been told of his fate in Minnesota and the Detroit Pistons’ look for John Kuester‘s replacement is in progress.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Pacers Announce Vogel As Coach
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