Jamahl Mosley fired as Orlando Magic head coach
The Orlando Magic have parted ways with Jamahl Mosley, AP says.
WESH 2 NEWS STARTS NOW. WE’LL SIT BACK AND REFLECT ON THINGS THAT WE CAN CHANGE AND DO DIFFERENTLY. AND I GET THAT THE MAGIC DIDN’T SIT BACK FOR LONG, THOUGH, BEFORE FIRING JAMAL MOSLEY, THE HEAD COACH, WAS GONE LESS THAN A DAY AFTER BOWING OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON. THE QUESTION NOW WHO WILL BE THE NEXT HEAD COACH OF THE MAGIC, AND WHAT WILL THE TEAM LOOK LIKE HEADING INTO NEXT SEASON? WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE FOR YOU. SPENCER TRACY HAS REACTION FROM THE FANS, BUT WE WANT TO BEGIN WITH KRISTEN LAGO, WHO JUST SPOKE WITH THE MAGIC’S PRESIDENT ABOUT THE FIRING OF JAMAHL MOSLEY, KHERSON. YEAH, GUYS, WE HEARD FROM PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS JEFF WELTMAN WAS THAT THIS WAS A DECISION THAT WAS NOT MADE LIGHTLY. HE STARTED OFF HIS PRESS CONFERENCE BY COMMENDING JAMAHL MOSLEY’S CHARACTER AND THE POSITIVES THAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO FOR THE ORLANDO MAGIC. AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF POSITIVES THAT MOSLEY ERA HAD HERE IN ORLANDO. I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT HIS FIVE YEAR TENURE. WHEN HE GOT HERE, HIS FIRST YEAR WAS A 22 WIN SEASON. THEY THEN HE TOOK THAT TO ABOUT A 50 WIN TEAM, OF COURSE, BACK TO BACK TO BACK PLAYOFF APPEARANCES AND THEN TWO DIVISION TITLES. BUT ULTIMATELY, JEFF WELTMAN SAID THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAD WITH THIS TEAM WAS THAT THEY COULDN’T GET OVER THAT REBUILDING HUMP IN AN ERA WHERE THEY SAID THEY WERE READY TO WIN NOW, AND THAT WAS THE BIGGEST FACTOR IN MAKING THIS DECISION. HE POINTED TO THE MAGIC. HAVING THAT THREE ONE SERIES LEAD OVER DETROIT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE IT OUT. PAOLO BANCHERO AGAIN SAID. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE A FIRST ROUND EXIT YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND ULTIMATELY A CHANGE HAD TO BE MADE. WE HAVE LOST IN THE FIRST ROUND THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THAT’S AN ORGANIZATIONAL MATTER. THAT’S NOT ON ONE PERSON, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT’S TIME FOR A NEW PERSPECTIVE. MAYBE A FRESH VOICE. AND FOR US TO ALL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT ON WHAT’S GOING ON WITH OUR TEAM. IN SO MANY DIFFERENT PLAYOFF SERIES. AND TO THAT POINT THERE FROM WELTMAN, HE SAID. ASIDE FROM BRINGING IN A STAR PLAYER THAT THE BIGGEST IMPACT ONE CAN HAVE IN A CHANGE TO A TEAM IS BRINGING IN A NEW HEAD COACH. SO THAT IS THAT KIND OF WAS THE IDEA BEHIND THE DISMISSAL OF JAMAHL MOSLEY. BUT HE WAS ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE ROSTER CONSTRUCTION OF THIS TEAM AND IF WE COULD SEE CHANGES THERE, HE SAID HE GOES BACK TO WHAT HE TOLD US AT THE TRADE DEADLINE. HE DOESN’T NECESSARILY WANT TO DISRUPT THIS CORE OF PAOLO BANCHERO, FRANZ WAGNER, JALEN SUGGS AND DESMOND BANE, BUT THAT NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE IN THE COMING DAYS. THEY’RE REALLY GOING TO LOOK AT THIS TOP TO BOTTOM TO SEE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP. BUT OF COURSE, IT DOES START WITH THE HEAD COACHING SEARCH THAT WILL BEGIN IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THEY WILL CONSULT WITH PLAYERS FIRST TO SEE WHAT THEY FEEL IS NEEDED IN THE LOCKER ROOM, AND THEN THEY’LL MOVE ON FROM THERE. WE’LL OF COURSE HAVE MORE ON THIS ALL NIGHT LONG, BUT FOR NOW, LIVE AT THE KIA CENTER. I’M KRISTEN LAGO WESH TWO SPORTS. MOSLEY RELEASED A STATEMENT THIS AFTERNOON SAYING IN PART, QUOTE TO OUR FANS, THERE IS NOTHING BUT LOVE IN MY HEART. THE JOY I HAD COACHING THIS TEAM IN THIS CITY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, IS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET. ALL I EVER WANTED WAS TO MAKE YOU PROUD TO BE MAGIC FANS, AND MY JOURNEY HERE WILL CERTAINLY STAY WITH ME FOREVER. WHILE HE COULDN’T WIN ENOUGH IN THE PLAYOFFS, MOSLEY IS AMONG THE WINNINGEST COACHES IN MAGIC HISTORY. HE LEAVES THE TEAM THIRD ALL TIME IN WINS WITH 189, BEHIND BRIAN H
Jamahl Mosley fired as Orlando Magic head coach
The Orlando Magic have parted ways with Jamahl Mosley, AP says.
Updated: 4:25 PM EDT May 4, 2026
Coming off their game 7 loss on Sunday, the Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley. “We’re grateful to Jamahl (Mosley) for all he’s done for the Orlando Magic,” said President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman. “We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it’s time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best.” Weltman says. The Magic were in control for most of the series, being up 3-1, but an exceptional comeback by the Detroit Pistons killed Orlando’s chance at a Cinderella story. For Mosley, he was pivotal in the growth of this Orlando squad. Taking the team from 22 wins in 2021 to 47 in 2023, and 3 consecutive playoff appearances since 2023. In 2024, Mosely and the Magic agreed to an extension through the 2027 season. In the NBA, he has a 189-221 record in the regular season as a head coach.Now in the offseason, the Magic have a chance to revitalize their coaching squad. With big-name candidates like Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams, they will have their pick from an experienced pool of coaches to lead them into 2027.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Coming off their game 7 loss on Sunday, the Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley.
“We’re grateful to Jamahl (Mosley) for all he’s done for the Orlando Magic,” said President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman.
“We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it’s time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best.” Weltman says.
The Magic were in control for most of the series, being up 3-1, but an exceptional comeback by the Detroit Pistons killed Orlando’s chance at a Cinderella story.
For Mosley, he was pivotal in the growth of this Orlando squad. Taking the team from 22 wins in 2021 to 47 in 2023, and 3 consecutive playoff appearances since 2023.
In 2024, Mosely and the Magic agreed to an extension through the 2027 season. In the NBA, he has a 189-221 record in the regular season as a head coach.
Now in the offseason, the Magic have a chance to revitalize their coaching squad. With big-name candidates like Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams, they will have their pick from an experienced pool of coaches to lead them into 2027.