Rick Carlisle, the veteran head coach of the Indiana Pacers, has recently signed a multiyear contract extension. We’re excited he’ll be around to lead the team in the coming years. This decision comes on the heels of an incredible season for Carlisle and the Pacers. After an extraordinary stretch all the way to the 2024 Easter Conference Finals, it was the team’s first trip at that level in a decade.
Carlisle, 65 and the NBA’s oldest active head coach, had stepped away from the game for nearly two years. His first Pacers coaching stint had been from 2003-07. After a storied 13-year career with the Dallas Mavericks, he eventually rejoined the franchise in 2021 on a special front office consulting basis. As a player for the Mavericks, he was able to emphasize his tactical genius and leadership prowess. In 2011, he coached the team to their first-ever NBA Championship and secured his legacy in professional basketball.
In his first season back with the Pacers, Carlisle swung for the fences. He made a controversial decision in trading Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings and bringing Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana. In hindsight, this was the right call – largely because it established the foundation for the Pacers’ remarkable turnaround this season. Under his leadership, they blazed their way all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. This exhilarating ride ultimately took them all the way to their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years.
It is worth noting that Carlisle has deep coaching experience. He was an assistant under Larry Bird when the Pacers last appeared in the Finals in 2000. That’s why his long-standing relationship with the franchise has been crucial. Paired with his strong appreciation of its culture, he’s been able to attract the right talent to turn the team around.
Through his work as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, Carlisle’s impact stretches beyond his coaching responsibilities. He owns a career regular-season record of 993-860. Over the course of next season, he’s going to become the 11th coach in NBA history to achieve 1,000 victories! He now sits second among active coaches in regular-season wins, just behind Doc Rivers.
During his playing days, Carlisle was a member of several distinguished teams, most famously the 1986 Boston Celtics championship team. His playing career lasted five years, including stops with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets.
Beyond bolstering the Pacers’ title chances in the next few seasons, the multiyear extension is a strong sign of the Pacers’ commitment to Carlisle. With a strong roster and an experienced coach at the helm, they look to build on their recent achievements and make an impact in the NBA.
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