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Denton: Vaughn Has His Coaching Staff

Josh Cohen
Digital News Manager

By John DentonAugust 30, 2012 ORLANDO -- The staff around new Orlando Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn started taking shape on Thursday when three assistants, two player development coaches and a special consultant were officially named by the team. James Borrego, Wes Unseld Jr. and Brett Gunning were hired as assistant coaches under Vaughn, who was named head coach by the Magic on July 28. Luke Stuckey and former Magic draft pick Laron Profit have been named assistant coaches/player development coaches, while veteran NBA assistant coach Gordon Chiesa was tabbed as a special consultant to the head coach. ``Each coach brings a unique skill set to the staff,’’ Vaughn said. ``Collectively, this staff possesses a diverse basketball background. We are truly fortunate that these men have decided to join our Magic family.’’ The Magic open training camp on Oct. 1 at Orlando’s Amway Center. They open the preseason against the New Orleans Hornets in Mexico City on Oct. 7 and play their first preseason home game on Oct. 11 against the new-look Philadelphia 76ers. The Magic also open the regular season at home, hosting the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 2. Borrego spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Hornets. He worked previously with the San Antonio Spurs for seven seasons, working with Vaughn near the end of his playing career. Borrego got his start in the NBA as the Spurs’ assistant video coordinator and finished his tenure as an assistant coach. During those seasons, he was a part of two NBA World Championship teams in 2005 and 2007 and he also worked with new Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan, who was in San Antonio from 2004-08. Unseld Jr., son of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld, was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors last season. He previously spent 13 seasons with the Washington Wizards, including six years as an assistant coach. During his time in Washington, he helped the Wizards reach four consecutive playoff berths. Gunning has spent the past four years with the Houston Rockets, working his way up from director of player development to assistant coach. He got his start in basketball at Villanova where he worked under Rollie Massimino and later under Jay Wright after a short stint at UNLV. In his second stint at Villanova, Gunning was considered one of the best assistant coaches in the country. Gunning played a vital role in recruiting and developing a Villanova team that secured four straight NCAA Tournament berths and made three trips to the Sweet 16. He was named associate coach in 2005 and was recognized following the 2007-08 season as one of the top 25 assistants in the nation by Rivals.com. Profit, a second-round pick by the Magic in 1999, played in 135 regular-season games for the Wizards and Lakers while averaging 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He was traded to Washington prior to the 1999-2000 season and never played for the Magic. Stuckey has served as varsity head coach at San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas, CA, a suburb of San Diego, for the last four seasons. Chiesa, a consultant for the NBA’s Development League last season, is best known for his work as an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz from 1989-2005. Vaughn was drafted by the Jazz in 1997 and spent the first four years of his NBA career in Utah and working with Chiesa. Chiesa was a part of a Utah organization that twice reached the NBA Finals, won three Midwest Division championships, had a regular season record of 809-471 (.632) and made 14 consecutive postseason appearances and played 149 playoff games. Chiesa has also been an assistant coach with Seattle and Memphis, and was the Grizzlies’ director of pro scouting. Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.

 

 

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