Frank Vogel Joins Warriors to Revive Declining Defense

Frank Vogel joins the Golden State Warriors as associate head coach with a mandate to improve a defense that has declined from top-ranked to middle-of-the-pack since their 2022 championship. His pitch for the job was simple. "You want your defense to have teeth," Vogel said. The Warriors' defensive rating has averaged a rank of 14th in the four seasons following their last title, a stark drop from their championship identity.

Context of the Warriors' defensive decline

After finishing first in defensive rating in 2021-22, the Warriors' defense has steadily worsened. The team's defensive efficiency has fluctuated, landing outside the top half of the league in three of the last four seasons. The full trajectory of their defensive rating since their last elite season illustrates the clear need for intervention.

The 2024-25 season, where they finished 2.8 points better than average and ranked seventh, proved to be a brief respite in a longer downward trend.

Historical defensive success and current roster

The Warriors have a deep history of defensive excellence. It began under Mark Jackson, who drilled connectivity, grit, and consistency. Jackson had the personnel to make it happen, with Andrew Bogut patrolling the paint and Andre Iguodala locked in on the perimeter. That foundation carried into the Steve Kerr era, where the 2021-22 title team was described as the most maniacally dogged version of the dynasty. Kevon Looney was everywhere defensively that year. Andrew Wiggins clamped down on opposing stars.

Key defensive anchors from that run remain. Steph Curry and Draymond Green are still on the roster, with Green being a nine-time All-Defensive player. Frank Vogel admitted that Green used to scare the hell out of him every time he played the Warriors. The current challenge is availability. The team's two primary wing defenders, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, are both rehabbing knee injuries and unable to play. New players like Lendeborg, Melton, and Brandin Podziemski will need to buy into the defensive system Vogel installs.

Kerr's approach and camp focus

Head coach Steve Kerr is aligning with the defensive emphasis from the first day of camp in Laie, Hawaii. He spent that session drilling transition defense. Kerr has openly praised the foundational work of his predecessor, stating that Mark Jackson did the work to turn the Warriors into a defensive team. Kerr maintained that defensive continuity when he took over, noting he didn't change one thing defensively when the Warriors posted a league-best 101.4 defensive rating in his first season, 2014-15. He described the current live work in camp as controlled, with possessions going up and back maybe three times max.

For his part, Vogel is focused on the immediate task. He expressed a lot of confidence in what is ahead, though he preferred not to detail his plans publicly. He made clear he is not hunting for a larger role. Vogel is excited about supporting Steve Kerr and helping Steph Curry and Draymond Green get another chance at a ring.