‘LeBron James clapped, ‘that’s a hell of a scouting report”: Jared Dudely on Lakers’ Frank Vogel shutting down Damian Lillard

Samir Mehdi | 15/10/2020
LeBron James clapped, 'that's a hell of a scouting report'': Jared Dudely on Lakers' Frank Vogel

LeBron James and Lakers teammates say Frank Vogel’s scouting reports on opposing teams going into the Playoffs were very good.

LeBron James is truly a ‘once in a generation type player’ and now, upon claiming his 4th NBA title with a different team for the 3rd time, it does bring into question how important is the coaching staff surrounding LeBron.

It seems as though acquiring James to be a part of a roster is a free ticket to the NBA Finals, no matter who is coaching the team, as he has made the Finals in 9 out of 10 times in the past 10 years.

Also read: ‘LeBron James’ trainer is the GOAT’: Rajon Rondo credits Lakers NBA Title to James’s trainer Mike Mancias

So when Frank Vogel, the man who the Orlando Magic fired in 2018, was named the Lakers new Head Coach in the 2019 offseason, it didn’t turn too many heads as everyone assumed LeBron would be in the Finals regardless.

Jared Dudley and LeBron James give props to Vogel

In a recent interview on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Jared Dudley explained how, despite the criticism the Lakers front office received for hiring Frank Vogel, Vogel was an integral part if breaking down defenses in the Playoffs.

Also read: ‘We were laughing at the Clippers’: Jared Dudley explains how LeBron James and Lakers reacted to LA rivals’ upset

Dudley said, “Preparation was top tier. There were a couple film sessions during the Portland series on Dame and CJ and how we were going to play the scouting report and I remember LeBron clapping it up like “That’s a hell of a scout, a hell of a job.”

The Lakers, with their size and depth were known as defensive stoppers this season and this is largely due to Frank Vogel figuring the spacing for when 2 bigs are on the floor.

Vogel has been an integral part of the Lakers championship and has in some ways, proven that LeBron James does need a competent Head Coach to win it all in a season.

Post Edited By: Utkarsh Bhatla
Frank Vogel Jared Dudley Lakers LeBron James

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Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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