June 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nSweeney becomes the 16th head coach in Magic history. He replaces Jamahl Mosley, who was dismissed May 4 after five seasons as coach. The Detroit Pistons knocked Orlando out of the first round of the NBA playoffs in Game 7 on May 3, the Magic’s third consecutive ouster in the first round.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re excited to welcome Sean to the Orlando Magic family,\u201d President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. \u201cSean brings a tremendous work ethic and a high degree of intensity that set the tone for everything he does. Sean\u2019s attention to detail and his ability to communicate and teach the game clearly stands out. He\u2019s grounded in competitiveness and accountability, while also embracing a modern, creative approach to coaching.\u201d<\/p>\n
News that the Magic were finalizing a contract with Sweeney broke Friday on ESPN in a report by Shams Charania, and it had been confirmed by multiple media outlets. But until Monday, the Magic had not confirmed the report.<\/p>\n
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson, in a press conference Saturday before San Antonio played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, acknowledged Sweeney\u2019s imminent departure when he was asked a question about Sweeney\u2019s reported hiring by the Magic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrilled for Sean. He deserves it,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cHe\u2019s had many opportunities of potentially becoming a head coach and so it was a matter of when, not if, even when I reached out to him to speak with him for the first time (before the Spurs hired him as associate head coach last summer).<\/p>\n
\u201cHappy for Orlando, and happy for us as he\u2019s in the Eastern Conference,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cBut thrilled for Sean. I think it\u2019s a really good situation. Know some people over there, it\u2019s going to be a really good fit and well-deserved and very happy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Florida State standout and current Spurs guard\/forward Devin Vassell endorsed Orlando’s decision, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely happy for him,\u201d Vassell said. \u201cThe impact that he\u2019s had here has been tremendous. I mean, he\u2019s challenged everybody to be better on the defensive end. He\u2019s holding us to a certain standard. You know, I wish him all the luck.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, though, Sweeney has a job to finish with the Spurs. Sweeney, who is San Antonio’s defensive coordinator, will stay with the team through the Spurs’ NBA Finals series against the New York Knicks, which begins Wednesday in San Antonio. The last possible day of that series is June 19, if it goes to seven games.<\/p>\n
An introductory news conference with the Magic will be held after the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n
The Spurs knocked the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder out of the playoffs in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday, taking that series in Oklahoma City 4-3 with a 111-103 victory.<\/p>\n
Under Sweeney as associate head coach, the Spurs’ defense, in terms of field goals made, improved to third in the NBA in the 2025-26 regular season after they were ranked 23rd in the 2024-25 season, according to statistics on NBA.com.<\/p>\n
Before joining the Spurs’ staff, Sweeney was an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks from 2021-25, part of the staff that led the Mavs and Luka Doncic to the 2024 NBA Finals. He also was an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons from 2018-21 and was in the same role with the Milwaukee Bucks from 2014-18. He began his NBA coaching career as a video coordinator with the Brooklyn Nets in 2011 and later moved into an assistant coaching role with Brooklyn in 2013-14.<\/p>\n