​Steve Kerr (right) chats with Frank Vogel before a game as the Warriors announce Vogel’s addition to Kerr’s coaching staff. The Golden State Warriors have brought in one of the NBA’s most accomplished veteran coaches to join Steve Kerr’s team. ESPN insider Shams Charania reported on Sunday that Frank Vogel, the former Los Angeles Lakers championship coach, has agreed to become the Warriors’ associate head coach. “Longtime NBA coach Frank Vogel has agreed to become the associate head coach for the Golden State Warriors under head coach Steve Kerr, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote on X. The update followed a separate report from NBA insider Marc Stein, who said more than 10 minutes earlier that Vogel was poised to join Golden State, tweeting, “Frank Vogel is poised to join Steve Kerr’s coaching staff in Golden State, league sources say.” The pair of notes underscored the Warriors’ ongoing effort to reshape Kerr’s bench ahead of the 2026-27 season, adding another former head coach to Kerr’s already deep coaching staff.
Vogel arrives in the Bay Area after spending last season with the Dallas Mavericks, initially as a coaching consultant and later as an assistant coach under Jason Kidd. His tenure in Dallas concluded after Kidd departed the organization earlier this offseason. Before moving to Dallas, Vogel spent a single season as head coach of the Phoenix Suns. Despite guiding Phoenix to 49 wins, he was dismissed following the Suns’ star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal being swept in the first round of the playoffs. Vogel’s most notable success came with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he steered LeBron James and Anthony Davis to the 2020 NBA championship during the league’s bubble season.
Vogel is widely regarded as one of the league’s premier defensive coaches. Over 12 seasons as an NBA head coach, he compiled a 480-422 record with stints with the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Lakers, and Suns. His hiring represents the latest step in Golden State’s ongoing push to bolster Kerr’s bench as the franchise navigates a period of turnover after several offseason departures.
The Warriors entered this offseason needing to replace veteran assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse, who left Kerr’s staff after the previous season. Golden State also bid farewell to longtime assistant Chris DeMarco, who left to take the head coaching position with the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Earlier in the offseason, Willie Green emerged as a leading candidate to join Kerr’s staff, with initial reports suggesting he might join first-time Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May’s coaching cadre; however, subsequent reporting has placed Vogel’s arrival at the forefront of Golden State’s coaching shake-up.
As Vogel steps into the associate head coach role, Kerr gains a veteran voice with extensive championship experience and a reputation for defensive acumen. The pairing is expected to contribute to the Warriors’ ongoing strategy to fortify their bench depth and strategic approach heading into a new era of competition, with Kerr and Vogel collaborating on game plans, player development, and in-game adjustments. With Vogel’s history of guiding squads through high-pressure playoff formats and his familiarity with modern defensive schemes, Golden State fans can anticipate a renewed emphasis on disciplined defense, situational rotations, and a nuanced understanding of matchup dynamics.
In sum, Vogel’s addition to the Warriors’ coaching staff signals Golden State’s commitment to reinforcing Kerr’s leadership with seasoned, head-coaching experience. As the team continues to reorganize its bench ahead of the 2026-27 season, this move positions Kerr to draw on Vogel’s expertise in both strategic planning and in-game execution, reinforcing a dynasty-era program intent on sustaining competitiveness and success in a league that continually evolves.