Frank Vogel was early for his interview with Mat Ishbia. About 20 minutes early. The rest of the Suns’ executive team still had not arrived in Ishbia’s office inside the massive headquarters of United Wholesale Mortgage in Pontiac, Mich.
It was Friday, May 26, nearly two weeks after Ishbia and general manager James Jones had fired popular coach Monty Williams, setting an organization that had never won an NBA championship on a different path.
Ishbia, 43, had taken ownership of the Suns and Phoenix Mercury not even four months earlier but already he had made his mark. Three days after the sale went official, he orchestrated perhaps the biggest trade in Phoenix history, acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, sacrificing a bit of the future while doubling down on the Suns’ present status as a title contender. Then, two days after Denver routed the Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, Phoenix discarded Williams.
In his office, Ishbia and Vogel chatted casually while waiting on the others. Despite making his fortune in the mortgage-lending business, Ishbia had a basketball background, dating to his days as a Michigan State walk-on under coach Tom Izzo. Even so, he never had met Vogel. His initial impression, one that ultimately would contribute to Vogel getting the Phoenix job, is how comfortable he and others felt around him.
“Right away, he puts you at ease,” Ishbia told The Athletic.
In his sixth year in the Suns’ front office, Jones knew Vogel but not extensively. A former player, he had competed against Vogel’s teams during his days with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. With the former, Jones had played a supporting role behind stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to help eliminate Vogel’s Indiana Pacers, a stepping stone to two NBA championships. Since then, Jones occasionally had crossed paths with Vogel but little more. One thing Jones knew for sure: People whom he respected spoke highly of the 49-year-old coach. And he was starting to understand why.
