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Indiana Pacers: Top 5 Coaches In Franchise History

By Adrian Lawhorn

Mar 31, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel yells from the sidelines against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel yells from the sidelines against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 29, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 29, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Rick Carlisle

Tenure: 4 seasons (2003-07)
Regular Season Winning %: .552
Playoff Winning %: .514

Rick Carlisle played with Ralph Sampson, one of the best college basketball players of all time, at the University of Virginia.

He went on to play with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics and during Carlisle’s three years there, the Celtics played in the NBA Finals each year (winning the crown in 1986).

Being surrounded by greatness in college and in the NBA was just one of the factors that contributed to Rick Carlisle’s smooth transition into coaching and once he worked his way into an NBA head coaching position for the first time in 2001, his success was immediate.

Rick Carlisle made this list despite a severe handicap — most of his tenure with the Pacers came after “The Brawl” with the Detroit Pistons in November 2004.

Indiana’s franchise was set back for years as a result of suspensions and forced, ill-advised trades that took place due to a few players’ actions that night in Detroit.

Carlisle led the Pacers to the best record in the NBA during his first season with the team (61-21), and showed further coaching acumen by keeping the franchise afloat during the dark post-brawl period.

Carlisle went on to have even more success as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, winning the NBA Championship in 2011.

Rick Carlisle was given a huge challenge during his years with the Pacers and his adept handling of that challenge lands him on the list of Indiana’s best and most accomplished coaches.

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