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Lakers Championship Coach Hired By Dallas Mavericks Amid Major Changes

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jamal Baker | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 9:38 AM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are bolstering their coaching staff for the 2025-26 season by bringing in NBA championship-winning coach Frank Vogel as their new lead assistant coach.

Life truly is a full circle.

Dallas head coach Jason Kidd served as an assistant under Vogel on the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2019-20 championship team. Kidd recruited Vogel to join the Mavericks last season as adviser, and Vogel will now replace Sean Sweeney, who left for the San Antonio Spurs to become their associate head coach.

As a head coach, Vogel holds a career record of 480-422, with previous stops at the helm of the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and Phoenix Suns.

Vogel enters a situation in Dallas where he will get to work with a solid core ready to compete right away. The coaching staff will be tasked with developing No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg who projects as the new cornerstone of the Mavericks’ future.

Vogel, 52, is a defensive-minded coach who emphasizes physicality and strong rim protection. With a roster that features Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford, the Mavericks will have no shortage of rim protection.

Vogel will be stepping into his first assistant role since 2011, when he was a member of Jim O’Brien’s staff on the 2011-12 Pacers.

Jay Triano, the former Raptors head coach, has also joined Kidd's staff.

Meanwhile, assistant God Shammgod is moving from Dallas to Orlando now official, and another former Lakers assistant coach, Phil Handy, could join the Mavericks' coaching staff.

It will be interesting to see how defensive-minded coaches Vogel and Kidd utilize the Mavericks' versatile group of defenders, including P.J. Washington, Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, and Max Christie.

With Vogel on board, the Mavericks are doubling down on defense as they look to take the next step toward championship contention.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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