"Imagine Tom Brady went to Dallas Cowboys": Lakers ex-coach Frank Vogel highlights the magnitude of attention surrounding LeBron James in LA
Former LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel used an interesting Tom Brady analogy to evaluate his time coaching the Purple and Gold franchise and LeBron James.
The Lakers and LeBron are arguably the two most popular entities in the NBA. The two forming a partnership in 2018 was always going to spark fireworks among media and critics.
Vogel took over the job in 2019, knowing what to expect. During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the current Phoenix Suns coach looked back at his time with LA, saying:
"I think from Day 1, I had the mindset that that's just how it's gonna be. We're gonna hear a lot of stuff every time we lost there's gonna be finger-pointing, and then the media and Twitter and all of that stuff.
"And you know, that comes along with coaching the Lakers and also comes along with coaching superstars.
"And so to have LeBron on the Lakers, I used to compare that to, imagine Tom Brady didn't go to Tempa Bay, imagine Tom Brady went to the Dallas Cowboys."
How will the pressure in Phoenix compare to Los Angeles?
@suns head coach Frank Vogel joined @termineradio & @thefrankisola at NBA Summer League. https://t.co/20FIM29c7I
It would indeed never be a dull day in the office if superstars of the magnitude of LeBron James and Tom Brady landed in a big market. The former gave the world a real-time experience by moving to LA after spending time in relatively smaller markets like Cleveland and Miami.
The Lakers are the most talked-about and scrutinized franchise since James' arrival. Regardless of the circumstances they've been in, James' presence has added more value to the team off the court than it already had, especially during Frank Vogel's up-and-down stint.
Vogel started brightly after securing a championship win in his debut season with the Lakers. However, his tenure ended in a disappointing 11th-place finish in 2021-22 with a 33-49 record, resulting in his firing.
Vogel's time with LeBron James and co. will give him the experience he needs with star-studded Suns
Frank Vogel has led a locker room stacked with potential Hall of Famers like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and others during his last season with the Lakers.
The outcome, however, was disastrous and Vogel got fired after a 33-49 season. However, the experience with that team will help him plenty in Phoenix. Vogel takes over a Suns squad that includes superstars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
True or False:
The Phoenix Suns are now title favorites next season. https://t.co/FgYmIukDRi
So far, the Suns have been good in ensuring they don't make the same mistakes as the Lakers when they assembled the 2021-22 superteam. Phoenix added younger players, better shooters and lengthy defenders around their core.
Furthermore, all three superstars are also efficient three-level scorers, unlike the former LA Lakers trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. To say the least, Vogel will have a roster that can fit his system, especially on defense.
As for the locker room egos, Vogel will likely have a great understanding of how to handle that issue after his stint in LA. It will be interesting to see how he fares in his first year as the Suns' coach, widely regarded as one of the favorites to win it all next season.