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The Orlando Magic, through their official Twitter page, have announced the signing of Jamahl Mosley as their next head coach. The franchise will introduce him to the media on Monday afternoon.
A few weeks after the 2020-21 NBA regular season, the Orlando Magic and Steve Clifford mutually agreed to part ways. Clifford, who still had one year left on his contract, failed to take the Orlando Magic to the next level.
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With the Orlando Magic fully invested in a rebuild, they decided to part ways with Clifford, as the two parties' mutual interests no longer aligned. Mosley will be taking the reins as head coach and will be tasked with creating a formidable team around Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac.
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Although it will be his first run as a head coach in the NBA, Mosley will be eager to get off to a flying start, as he is surrounded by incredible talent. With the off-season approaching, he will have the opportunity to bring in players he believes could be great additions to the team.
Although there was little or no chatter about Mosley's application for the job, he is the chosen one. He is now the 15th head coach of the Orlando Magic in their 32 seasons in the NBA.
On that note, here are three reasons why Jamahl Mosley is the right choice for the Orlando Magic's head coach position.
#1 The Orlando Magic will benefit from his player development skill
With a roster filled with young talent, the Orlando Magic needed a head coach who can help the players hone their talents in the NBA. Mosley is renowned for his player development prowess, communication and ability to build relationships with his players.
Mosley started his coaching career with the Denver Nuggets as a player development coach in 2005 before he was promoted to assistant coach in 2007. However, he plied his trade with the Dallas Mavericks for the last seven years.
Everyone who knows Mosley speaks highly of his relationship with Luka Doncic. The 42-year-old is lauded for helping Doncic develop into the exceptional player he is today. Mosley's ability to connect with young players is perhaps the most important reason why the Orlando Magic chose to hire him.
Mosley is very involved in the development of players. That is seen time and time again as he often drops the clipboard to dish out practical lessons. His identity resonates with the Orlando Magic, as his approach to coaching is based on his innate desire to help players grow.
#2 Jamahl Mosley could inculcate his intense defensive set-up at the Orlando Magic
Although many will argue that the need for an offensive-minded coach is more pressing, the Orlando Magic have once again decided to bring in a defensive-minded head coach.
The team ranked 26th in defensive rating and 29th in offensive rating in the 2020-21 NBA season. Although the Orlando Magic are poor at both ends of the court, they stand a good chance of winning games if they can effectively make stops.
The Orlando Magic have struggled offensively since Dwight Howard left the franchise. While Mosley is a defensive-minded coach, he will have to find a way to integrate good offense. While his assumed focus on defense might be a concern, the strategy is clear: force turnovers and get out in transition.
Mosley served as the defensive coordinator for the Mavericks for the last three years. Although the Mavericks were in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating during this period, Mosley is still highly rated as a defensive maestro.
The Magic didn't lack in defensive intensity, as they always pressured the opposition. However, their personnel were not quite skilled to pull things off.
Players like Jonathan Isaac could develop into elite defenders for the Orlando Magic. With talent like that, the Magic might become one of the most highly-rated defensive teams in the near future. As things stand, a better defensive and offensive rating in the 2021-22 season will prove that Jamahl Mosley was the right choice.
#3 Experience
Jamahl Mosley has garnered enough experience in his coaching career that could be put to good use with the Orlando Magic. Although this will be his first stint as a head coach, he has served under several top NBA head coaches and assumed different roles since 2005.
Mosley's most recent run came under Rick Carlisle with the Dallas Mavericks. Although the Mavericks have failed to get past the first round of the NBA playoffs throughout his time at the franchise, featuring in the postseason is an achievement of sorts.
Unlike Clifford, who many have described, is more of a demanding coach, it is reported that Jamahi Mosley is the exact opposite. Mosley holds players accountable, an approach we have seen in his many years as an assistant coach. He knows when to dish out tough love and when to be supportive.
Although it can be tricky to balance things, pulling that off will make the players buy into his beliefs, which is exactly what the Orlando Magic will need to achieve with a young squad.
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