BEHIND THE MAGIC SERIES PART 5: Tony Battie Sees a Familiar Formula: Why Sean Sweeney’s Magic Remind Him of Orlando’s 2009 NBA Finals Team

Written By Craig Larson Jr.

Tony Battie became a member of the Magic in July 2004. During his first two seasons with the club, he played in 163 regular-season games. In 2009, he helped lead Orlando to its second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.

Our fifth installment with Battie centers on a discussion about new coach Sean Sweeney.

Q: You played for your share of coaches during your time in Orlando. What did you think of the hiring of Sean Sweeney?

A: It kind of reminds me of our teams. We got some new pieces that we acquired here and there and changed coaches. Back then, we used to build around Dwight Howard; they’re now building around Paolo Banchero. We didn’t get over the hump initially in my first years here. It took five full years to make that run to the Finals. I think the Magic are right in the midst of where we were back in 2007. There’s no more blaming now. It’s all on them. There are so many good teams in the East, so it all depends on the growth the young guys make under Sean Sweeney. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do. I think the sky’s the limit.

Q: You know firsthand about a coaching carousel. There were lots of coaches during your Orlando days.

A: (Laughs) Chris Jent took over for Johnny Davis, who they let go during my first season. Then I played for Brian Hill and, of course, Stan Van Gundy. That’s the business of basketball. We pretty much had the core of the team, building around Jameer Nelson and Dwight. Every year, new faces come in. You make tweaks to the roster and sometimes to the coaching staff as well. I had four different coaches.

Q: You had such success under Stan Van Gundy, and he wasn’t afraid to experiment. It was a different look for you after returning from your rotator cuff injury.

A: When I returned from my rotator cuff injury, Stan decided he was going to spread us out. That was his philosophy. We had Rashard Lewis. We’d have four guys out and one guy in offensively. One big guy in the middle, and then we’d surround him with Jameer, Mickael Pietrus, Rashard, Hedo Türkoğlu and those guys. It was a stretch-four lineup. It was an interesting lineup that was really tough to stop.

Q: Dwight Howard. Did you think he’d be that good?

A: He was the No. 1 pick in the draft for a reason. He was young and athletic. He also had a million-dollar smile. Patrick Ewing was an assistant coach and also helped nurture him. I think Dwight patterned parts of his game after Patrick, especially with the inside moves. Dwight had a really solid foundation, and he wound up being one of the best big men to ever play the game.

Q: The run to the 2009 NBA Finals. How rewarding was that personally for you?

A: That run was special. That was the only time in my career that I reached the NBA Finals. We got so close. We won Game 3 but couldn’t beat them a second time. Stan Van Gundy was exceptional with his coaching that year. We had a great collection of guys. It wasn’t just Dwight; we also had a great front office led by Otis Smith. It was a total team effort by everyone involved.

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Craig Larson Jr.

 Craig Larson Jr. is a freelance contributor for 1010XL. Craig has been covering professional and collegiate sports for media outlets since 1990. He’s attended 17 Super Bowls, 11 Final Fours, 5 World Series, along with multiple Kentucky Derbies, Championship Fights and All-Star Games.