Orlando Magic announced a 10‑person assistant‑coach expansion on July 6, 2026, giving Sean Sweeney a deep bench of NBA and G‑League talent as the club tries to stop a five‑game losing streak. The roster‑building push follows a 116‑94 defeat to the Detroit Pistons on May 3, 2026, and a recent form of 0‑5.
Who joined the Magic coaching staff?
Jeff Weltman, the Magic’s President of Basketball Operations, named Joe Prunty, Greg Buckner, Popeye Jones, Tom Bialaszewski, Riley Crean, Jon Harris, Ben Johnson, Jacqlyn Poss and Mfon Udofia as assistant coaches. D.J. Bakker will also serve as assistant coach/director of player development, while Shannan Lum becomes assistant coach/director of coaching operations—the first female assistants in franchise history. Curt Lewis and Nicholas Russo were added to the operations department as head video coordinator and manager of basketball strategy, respectively.
What experience do the new assistants bring?
Prunty returns for a second season after stints with the San Antonio Spurs—three championships (1999, 2003, 2005)—and coaching stops in Milwaukee, Atlanta, Phoenix, Brooklyn, Cleveland, Portland and Dallas. Buckner spent the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and four years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, plus playing ten NBA seasons after being drafted by Dallas in 1998. Jones, a 1992 Rockets draftee, logged 11 playing years before moving into coaching roles with the Nets, Indiana, Philadelphia, Denver and Dallas. Bakker led the G‑League’s Greensboro Swarm to the 2025‑26 championship and previously assisted the Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee, Detroit, Dallas and Toronto, plus a scouting stint with the Magic in 2013‑14.
Bialaszewski arrived from a Spurs scouting role, having coached Italy’s Varese and served as an assistant at Olimpia Milano. Crean climbed the video ladder in Dallas before becoming head video coordinator; he also managed the University of Georgia men’s team under his father, Tom. Harris spent four years with the Spurs as an assistant video coordinator/player development specialist and was a graduate assistant at Florida State under Leonard Hamilton. Johnson comes from the college ranks, where he led Minnesota’s men’s program for four seasons and previously assisted at Xavier, Nebraska and other schools.
Why does this matter for Orlando Magic?
The infusion of championship pedigree and developmental expertise gives Sweeney tools to improve player growth, defensive schemes and in‑game adjustments. Having two women—Shannan Lum and Jacqlyn Poss—on the bench signals a cultural shift that could attract diverse talent. The added video and strategy staff should help the Magic dissect the 116‑94 loss to Detroit and correct the five straight defeats that have left the team winless in its last five outings.
What’s next for the Magic?
Sweeney’s first preseason practice will feature the new assistants running drills on pick‑and‑roll timing, perimeter defense and transition offense. The staff’s combined NBA and G‑League experience is expected to accelerate the development of young players like Jalen Green and Franz Wagner. If the coaching overhaul translates to better rotations and smarter play, Orlando could snap its losing streak before the regular season opens.