“The toughness that it takes to win games starts on the defense end”
This season the Osceola Magic will be coached by someone much like its current players – a guy looking for an NBA opportunity.
Ronnie Burrell, 43, replaces Dylan Murphy, who coached Osceola to three straight NBA G League Eastern Conference finals and a G League championship series appearance in 2025. Murphy, who compiled a 93-57 record (a 62% win clip) joined Coach Mike Boynton’s staff at the University of Michigan.
He was introduced to media Wednesday at the Orlando Magic's training facility inside the Kia Center.
Burrell spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets (2023-24) and Portland Trail Blazers (2024-26). Before that he showed keen G League coaching ability, leading the Long Island Nets in 2022-23; that team had the league’s top-ranked defense (103.7 defensive rating) and ran off a 16-game winning streak.
“I’m incredibly grateful to (Osceola General Manager) Kevin Tiller, Mike Sain and the entire Magic organization for this opportunity,” said Burrell. “I’m looking forward to building on the strong foundation already in place in Osceola and forming a team and culture that fans can be proud of.”
Tiller noted Burrell’s nearly 25 years of college and pro basketball experience.
“Ronnie has experience across the Division I, NBA, G League and international levels,” said Tiller. “His knowledge and understanding of the game make him an invaluable asset in player development, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to Osceola.”
He’s not calling his return to the G League a step-down.
“It's funny, a lot of people ask me that question, if I'm doing something less than what I was doing before, and it's not exactly how I feel,” he said. “I get to do more, have more responsibility challenging myself more in this role. And to come to a new place is exciting; I've learned a lot over the last couple of years.”
He said his brand of ball will look a lot like Sweeney’s in Orlando, as he hopes players like 2026 NBA Draft pick Izaiyah Nelson and Colin Castleton and Alex Morales, on two-way deals, could spend time playing for both.
“I'm highly impressed with the amount of talent we have in those roles,” Burrell said. “We have guys that have played for both teams, and they have to have familiarity with what we're doing because league is a little bit of a different style of playing the NBA is a different level of players different pace. so we'll adjust it.
“We’re coaching guys that are trying to get to the NBA, some of them will be role players in the NBA, so we have to require them to defend, because they'll be expected to defend in their NBA roles. The toughness that it takes to win games starts on the defense end.”
The Osceola Magic open the 2026-27 G League season Sunday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. against the Oklahoma City Blue at the Silver Spurs Arena.
Burrell’s hire isn’t the only new one in the Magic organization, as the Orlando Magic welcomed former San Antonio Spurs Sean Sweeney into the fold to replace Jamahl Mosley, who was fired on June 1 and is now the coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Burrell, who stands 6’9”, went undrafted in 2005 after a playing career at UNC-Greensboro and embarked on an 11-year European career, playing in leagues in France, Germany and Poland. He also played in the NBA Summer League with the Seattle SuperSonics's summer league squad for two summers.
