Frank Vogel has claimed that he did not know he was coaching his final Lakers game on Sunday, amid reports that the 48-year-old was being sacked.
The Lakers’ torrid season came to an end on Sunday after they beat the Denver Nuggets in OT. However, a 33-49 record over the regular season saw the Purple and Gold finish in 11th place on the Western Conference table, ineligible for the playoffs.
The campaign was a horror show for the Lakers, who were initially tipped as one of the favourites to win the NBA championship this season. But with regular injuries to key players and Russell Westbrook’s poor form, the Lakers weren’t even able to qualify for the play-in tournament.
Following the Lakers’ 2021-22 regular season finale clash against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, reports from ESPN claimed that the organization had already decided to sack head coach Frank Vogel. It is believed that the Lakers will finalize the decision to sack Vogel on Monday, with no replacements found as of yet. However, Vogel has claimed that he had no information on his potential firing from the Lakers hierarchy.
After his Lakers side managed a win over the Nuggets in their final fixture of the season, Vogel was asked about his sacking. The 2020 NBA Championship winning coach claimed that he had no clue about his sacking because the Lakers board had not informed him of their decision.
Vogel also admitted that he planned to enjoy the Lakers’ victory in the final game of the season, rather than worry about what tomorrow will bring for his career. “I haven’t been told s— and I’m going to enjoy tonight’s game, celebrate what these young guys did in terms of scratching and clawing and getting back in this game and getting a W, and we’ll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.“
Vogel took charge of the Lakers in 2019 and helped the team win the NBA Championship in his first year as head coach. However, it appears that his three year-reign in LA is set to come to an end on Monday.
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