Orlando Magic's Sean Sweeney Emphasizes Top Priority at Summer League Matchup

New Orlando Magic head coach Sean Sweeney participated in a live television interview during the team's Summer League opener against the Charlotte Hornets. Sweeney touched on what the opportunity to take the reins of the franchise means to him.

Here is everything he had to say:

"It means a lot. This is something I've been working towards and I'm excited to be part of the Orlando Magic, be with these guys, and watch this high-level summer league game right now."

"For me, the biggest thing was just trying to learn from all the opportunities and make sure I was ready if another one came—which fortunately it did this summer, and it was one that I was really excited about and wanted to be part of. But yeah, just trying to make sure to get feedback, acknowledge what was good, what needed to be better, and then just try to do the best we could with the teams we had. Obviously, in San Antonio this year, we had a lot of success, and as you know, when we win, we all win."

"To me, the couple big things—one is just establish what our identity is on both sides of the ball. And then make sure that embodies what our team identity is: how we want to play, who we want to be, the character we want to have as players and as coaches, the competitiveness we want to have, making sure we're connected as a group. And then, a big thing for me is just love of the game. What we believe is going to show in what we value, and what we value is going to show in how we behave. So, just trying to make sure that everything we do stems from and leads back to that."

"I like it. I like what they've been doing so far. Noah is hot right now knocking down threes, and you can tell he's worked on his body and worked on his game. I like how Jace's been playing too, controlling the pace pretty well. You try to play fast in summer league and get up and down, and sometimes that can make it tougher on your decision-making, but I thought he's done a really good job. Even just before we walked over, that little pick-and-roll play he had there—get in the paint, see the defense, take his time, make the right play, go fast to slow, and then make the appropriate decision."

"Yeah, I almost killed the guy. No, it was a good level of physicality. Now, if we could add a little bit better fundamental and technique at the end, I think that would be ideal. But he's strong, he's got great speed, and his effort level is very high. He's one of the guys, since I've been in Orlando, every night you see him in the gym late putting in the time. So, I'm excited to see him out here and get this opportunity. We want to stay within our circle of competence, but we also want to grow it, and this is a good opportunity for him for that."

"Anytime you can take a shot and knock it in, you provide space for your teammates. And then obviously, the shot-making itself is important. But I like what he's done. Just watching him in the gym since I've been in Orlando, he's done a good job of knocking shots in and his work habits have been what we want from our team with our players."

"Oftentimes we talk about the need for experience, and there's certainly—that's an important factor—but I think when you approach things the right way and have talented players, you can overcome some of that. The thing that our guys did a really, really good job of is they didn't lose any aggressiveness regardless of the situation. Some of that speaks to their character and who they were as competitors. A lot of it speaks to how Mitch Johnson did as the head coach and the program that San Antonio has. Oftentimes young guys, they kind of ease up or they take a step back in the playoffs, and our guys did not. They didn't blink, they didn't flinch, they stayed aggressive, and that to me was something that we can all remember and learn from."

"Who you are and how you play—like we talked about things that are important—establishing identity on both sides of the ball and then making sure we all understand what we value. Because that helps carry you. Playoff time, you always talk about adjustments and what can we do differently, and there's certainly a part of that, but a lot of times it comes back to: how are we supposed to play, who are we supposed to be? Can you do it with good fundamentals, good technique? You build that in the summertime so that way your habits are strong, so that way when you're under pressure, you don't fold. It all goes back to that."

Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!