Stan Van Gundy

The heavy set guy shouting at half court is the head coach of the Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy. His Magic are cruising in the fourth quarter with a 20-point cushion, yet Van Gundy is irate after a Magic defensive breakdown. Despite the lead, the coach was sure he was not about to let it go unnoticed.

Dwight Howard often mimics his coach, yelling in a joking tone. It’s a nice release for Howard who knows his coach is at best uptight. Brutally Direct probably exemplifies Van Gundy. He rarely smiles, and if he does its usually sarcastic in nature. The coach of the Orlando Magic may be tough and hardy but its clear he is knows how to coach.

With a 215-75 record in just his third season with the Magic, his success as a coach has been unprecedented. His motto of “defend and rebound, everything else will fall into place,” has provided a stingy defensive team behind the 2010 defensive player of the year, Dwight Howard. The Magic haven’t dipped below the 50 win margin since Van Gundy’s arrival. First he helped the Magic advance to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in 10 years. A year later he propelled the Magic into the bright lights of the Finals, a feat that hadn’t been done since 1995. Now the Orlando Magic have established themselves as consistent contenders.

Following a disappointing sweep at the hands of the Detroit Pistons in 2007, the Magic fired head coach Brian Hill. The coach of Florida University, Billy Donovan, was the primary choice when it came to finding a replacement. Donovan pulled a no-show at the altar and Van Gundy was there to pick up the bride. The Magic, after being rejected by Donovan, looked to Stan Van Gundy. It proved to be a lucky break for a Magic front office which had made many ill advised roster transactions and hiring’s up to that point. Van Gundy quickly showed interest in the position, and ever since has proved his hiring was the best decision for the rising Franchise.

Riding the gigantic shoulders of Dwight Howard, Van Gundy was building a winning team. He consistently pressured Howard demanding everything and more from his perennial All-Star. Howard was instructed to focus on rebounding and defense. It since has had a huge impact on his success as leads the league in rebounds and blocked shots. The transaction of Rashard Lewis and the emergence of Hedo Turkoglu gave Van Gundy mismatches which he used to exploit defenses. The Magic suddenly saw Howard elevate his game, and the Magic had a winning formula. As a coach, Van Gundy has been able to get the best out of his players.

Van Gundy certainly wasn’t the shinning knight Billy Donovan was to be. He was not riding a white horse, but his success has proven he was the correct man for the job. The Magic are maturing as Van Gundy continues to hold every single player accountable on every play. As the playoffs arrive, the Magic look to make noise again, aiming for an NBA Title. As for Van Gundy, you can always count on him to make some noise as well.