The Orlando Magic are continuing to reshape their coaching staff under new head coach Sean Sweeney, adding three assistants with NBA, G League and international experience. According to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype, Orlando is hiring Riley Crean, Mfon Udofia and DJ Bakker as assistant coaches, giving Sweeney several familiar faces as he begins his first season leading the franchise.
The hires come less than three weeks after Orlando named Sweeney head coach on June 1 following the dismissal of Jamahl Mosley. The Magic are looking to build on a 45-37 season that earned them the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed before a first-round playoff loss to the Detroit Pistons in seven games.
Crean arrives from the Dallas Mavericks, where he served as head video coordinator. The 27-year-old worked alongside Sweeney for three of the past four seasons in Dallas, providing continuity between the new head coach and his staff. Crean is also the son of longtime college coach Tom Crean, who previously led programs at Marquette, Indiana and Georgia.
Udofia brings a different résumé. He spent recent seasons with the Long Island Nets and became the winningest head coach in franchise history. His development work was highlighted by three NBA call-ups from Long Island during the 2025-26 season. Udofia also has significant international experience, serving as Nigeria’s head coach during the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers and working as an assistant coach during the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Bakker adds further NBA experience to the bench. He most recently worked as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets after previously serving as head coach of the Greensboro Swarm. Bakker also held assistant coaching roles with the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons, where he and Sweeney worked together.
The additions suggest Orlando is prioritizing player development alongside NBA experience. The roster remains one of the league’s youngest among playoff-caliber teams, led by 23-year-old Paolo Banchero and 24-year-old Franz Wagner. Banchero averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists across 72 games last season, while Wagner contributed 20.6 points per game despite appearing in only 34 contests.
The Magic also received strong production from Desmond Bane, who averaged 20.1 points while playing all 82 games. Orlando finished 45-37 and secured a Play-In berth, but its first-round exit led the organization to make significant changes on the bench.
