Sports
Orlando Magic Add Veteran NBA Coaches, Player Development Leaders to Sean Sweeney’s Coaching Staff
Published
4 months agoon
By
FNN SPORTSORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Orlando Magic announced the complete coaching staff that will serve under new head coach Sean Sweeney for the 2026-27 NBA season, adding a mix of experienced NBA veterans, player development specialists and analytics experts to the organization’s basketball operations.
President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced that Joe Prunty, Greg Buckner, Popeye Jones, Tom Bialaszewski, Riley Crean, Jon Harris, Ben Johnson, Jacqlyn Poss and Mfon Udofia have been named assistant coaches.
In addition, D.J. Bakker will serve as assistant coach/director of player development, while Shannan Lum has been appointed assistant coach/director of coaching operations. In keeping with team policy, contract terms were not disclosed.
The Magic also announced the addition of Curtis Lewis as head video coordinator and Nicholas Russo as manager of basketball strategy within the basketball operations department.
Experienced NBA Leadership
Prunty returns for his second season with Orlando after joining the Magic in 2025. Entering his 30th NBA season, he brings one of the league’s most accomplished coaching resumes, including:
- Three NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003, 2005)
- Four NBA Finals appearances
- 22 NBA Playoff appearances
- Three NBA All-Star Game coaching assignments
- 2024 Emirates NBA Cup championship with the Milwaukee Bucks
Prunty has also served as interim head coach for both Milwaukee and the Atlanta Hawks during his coaching career.
Buckner joins Orlando after spending the past two seasons with Milwaukee. He previously served on the coaching staffs of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets. A former NBA guard, Buckner played 10 seasons after being selected in the 1998 NBA Draft.
Jones arrives following a season with the Dallas Mavericks and previously helped the Denver Nuggets capture the 2023 NBA championship. The former NBA center enjoyed an 11-year playing career and led the league in offensive rebounds during the 1994-95 season.
Player Development Emphasis
The Magic strengthened their player development department by naming Bakker assistant coach/director of player development.
Bakker spent the past two seasons with the Charlotte Hornets while simultaneously serving as head coach of the NBA G League’s Greensboro Swarm. He guided Greensboro to a 70-36 record, its first winning season and playoff appearance before leading the franchise to the 2025-26 NBA G League championship.
He also previously worked within the Magic organization as a regional advance scout during the 2013-14 season.
Coaching Operations and Analytics
Lum joins Orlando after serving as an assistant coach with the NBA G League’s Texas Legends following four seasons with the Mavericks organization.
Poss earns a promotion after spending more than three seasons as Orlando’s senior data scientist in basketball operations, reflecting the organization’s continued emphasis on analytics in player development and game preparation.
Additional Coaching Additions
The remaining assistant coaches bring diverse experience from the NBA, G League, college basketball and international competition.
- Tom Bialaszewski most recently served as an advance scout for the San Antonio Spurs.
- Riley Crean spent four seasons with the Mavericks organization, rising from video intern to head video coordinator.
- Jon Harris arrives after four seasons with San Antonio, most recently working in player development.
- Ben Johnson previously served as head coach at the University of Minnesota.
- Mfon Udofia spent the past three seasons as head coach of the NBA G League’s Long Island Nets and has also coached Nigeria’s national team in international competition.
Supporting Basketball Operations
The Magic also expanded their basketball operations staff with the additions of:
- Curtis Lewis — Head Video Coordinator
- Nicholas Russo — Manager of Basketball Strategy
The new staff will support Sweeney, who was named Orlando’s head coach on June 1, as the Magic prepare for the 2026-27 NBA season.
#OrlandoMagic #MagicBasketball #NBA #SeanSweeney #JeffWeltman #JoePrunty #GregBuckner #PopeyeJones #NBACoaching #PlayerDevelopment #CentralFlorida #Basketball #MagicNation #FNNNews #NBANews
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Sports
LIV Golf to begin winding down operations Nov. 9 after five years, $5 billion spent
Published
4 days agoon
November 7, 2026By
FNN SPORTSNEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.
Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.
“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.
LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.
Basketball
USF Women’s Basketball Opens Season With 80–54 Victory Over Furman
Published
5 days agoon
November 5, 2026By
NISEY LOU S.TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — On Monday November 2, at the Yuengling Center, the South Florida women’s basketball team opened with a successful debut undernew head coach Kristy Curry.
The Bulls established control early with a 9–0 opening run, taking a 27–12 lead after the first quarter. Furman narrowed the margin before halftime, but South Florida maintained a 46–32 advantage heading into the break.
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A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as USF outscored Furman 23–9 to extend its lead to 69–41 entering the fourth.
Balanced Scoring Leads the Bulls
Stefanie Ingram led South Florida with 15 points, followed by Hannah Kohn with 13 and Kendall Puryear with 12 points and nine rebounds.
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The Bulls placed six players in double figures, shot 51.6 percent from the field and controlled the boards with a 48–25 rebounding advantage.
A Winning Debut for Kristy Curry
The victory marked Curry’s first win leading South Florida after arriving from Alabama.
Ahead of the season opener, Curry expressed confidence in the program’s potential:
“I’m so excited to be here. I truly think the sky’s the limit at USF.”
— Kristy Curry, USF Head Coach, in pregame remarks published by USF Athletics.
South Florida (1–0) will face Belmont on Friday, November 6, in Nashville, Tennessee.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Central Florida News
USF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season
Published
1 week agoon
November 3, 2026By
NISEY LOU S.Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.
Defense Turns the Game Around
UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.
Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.
Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.
Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.
South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.
Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum
Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.
Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.
Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.
Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.
Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone
With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.
The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.
The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.
Looking Ahead
USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.
Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
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