Orlando Magic finalizing deal to hire Sean Sweeney as the new head coach

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Well, I can tell you that a league source confirms to me that the magic are finalizing a deal with Spurs assistant coach Shawn Sweeney to be the next head coach of the Orlando Magic. This is a report that was also issued by Shams Charania of ESPN. So the magic and Shawn Sweeney who you see right there, he's the redhead with the brush cut. That's Shawn Sweeney. They're finalizing a deal. You might not know the name Shawn Sweeney.

[00:00:27]It's because he spent a long time in the NBA as an assistant coach.

[00:00:30]>> Okay.

[00:00:31]>> 13 years as an assistant coach in the NBA. He's never been a head coach.

[00:00:35]However, he is known for his defensive acumen and also working for budding superstar superstar Victor Wembanyama right now with San Antonio.

[00:00:46]Obviously, the Spurs are in the Western Conference Finals about to play a game seven against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

[00:00:51]So the magic are working on this deal as the Spurs are still playing. Sweeney is in his first year with the Spurs after working in Milwaukee, in Dallas, with the Brooklyn Nets. So he is well-traveled, well-respected, and he was like the hot assistant coach.

[00:01:11]>> Okay.

[00:01:11]>> He was going to be a head coach somewhere after this season. And now it looks like it's going to be the Orlando Magic as a league source does confirm to me that the magic are finalizing a deal.

[00:01:21]Now, I did reach out to the Orlando Magic and they politely declined to comment, which >> Okay. Maybe they're still the ink still needs to dry.

[00:01:30]>> Well, yeah. Obviously, things still need to be worked out. Shawn Sweeney has a job right now with the San Antonio Spurs. Their season is not ending. And right, the magic aren't ready to announce anything. And And this is kind of how it works. But I did reach out to the magic. They respectfully declined to comment right now.

[00:01:48]>> Obviously, he has a great career as an assistant coach right now. Is this a surprise pick though at all for the magic?

[00:01:54]>> Um I think if you would ask me this three weeks ago after they had parted ways with Jamal Mosley, I would have said yes because it seemed like okay, the magic are looking for a coach that has prior head coaching experience.

[00:02:12]Someone like Billy Donovan. He is the one who had skyrocketed to the top of the odds of getting the magic job. They also interviewed Jeff Van Gundy, the younger brother of Stan Van Gundy who has a long career in the NBA, was a prior head coach before, long time analyst, well respected, but they're going with Shawn Sweeney and I think that's in part because of the Spurs run that they've had throughout this throughout the playoffs. They've also had a great regular season, but the Spurs are one win away from going to the NBA finals. This was not supposed to be the Spurs year yet.

[00:02:45]Supposed to be next year with Victor Wembanyama, but they got there and part of it is they're such a fantastic defensive team and that's what Shawn Sweeney takes care of with San Antonio.

[00:02:56]>> This could be exciting.

[00:02:58]>> It's going to be exciting. You know, we'll see what happens, but again, you know, they're finalizing the deal a league source confirms to me.

[00:03:04]No confirmation from the Orlando Magic yet. This is exciting.

[00:03:07]>> maybe it'll be the Magic's year next year.

[00:03:09]>> Well, you know what? Shawn Sweeney comes, takes over a terrific young core, right? You've got Paolo Banchero, you've got Franz Wagner. If the Magic are healthy, they can compete to be the best team in the Eastern Conference in the NBA. That's their trajectory. It's up to that coach to get them there and they believe that Shawn Sweeney is the guy.