List of Indiana Pacers head coaches

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The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers play in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team began playing in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), and joined the NBA as part of the ABA–NBA merger. The team has played their home games at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse since the 1999–2000 NBA season. The Pacers are owned by Herb Simon, and Chad Buchanan is their general manager. [1] Nate Bjorkgren was the team's head coach in 2020–21 and was fired after one season. Rick Carlisle was hired to replaced Bjorkgren, becoming the coach of the Pacers for the second time.

Contents

There have been 14  head coaches for the Pacers franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Larry Staverman, who coached for two seasons. [2] Bobby Leonard is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (985), the most regular-season game wins (529), the most playoff games coached (116), and the most playoff game wins (69). [3] Leonard is also the only coach to win an ABA championship with the Pacers, with 3 (1970, 1972, 1973). [4] Larry Bird, who coached three seasons with the Pacers, is the Pacers' all-time leader for the highest winning percentage with .687. [5] Bird is also the only coach to win an NBA Eastern Conference championship with the Pacers, but lost the 2000 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. [6] Mel Daniels is the only Pacers coach to have coached less than one season. [7] Jack Ramsay, Larry Brown, and Bobby Leonard are the only Pacers' coaches to be elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. [8] [9] Ramsay was also named one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. [10] Jack McKinney and Larry Bird have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award, in 1980–81 and 1997–98, respectively, with the Pacers. [11] Dick Versace and Bird have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Pacers. [5] [12] Frank Vogel was named interim head coach after Jim O'Brien was fired midway through the 2010–11 season. [13]

Key

GCGames coached
WWins
LLosses
Win% Winning percentage
#Number of coaches [a]
*Spent entire NBA head coaching career with the Pacers
Elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach

Coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2024–25 season.

#NameTerm [b] GCWLWin%GCWLWin%AchievementsReference
Regular seasonPlayoffs
Larry Staverman 1967–1968874047.460303.000 [2]
Bobby Leonard 1968–1980 985529456.5371166947.5953 ABA championships (1970, 1972, 1973) [4] [3]
Jack McKinney 19801984 328125203.381202.000 1980–81 NBA Coach of the Year [11] [14]
George Irvine 19841986 16448116.293 [15]
Jack Ramsay 19861988 1717992.462413.250One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [10] [8]
Mel Daniels 1988 202.000 [7]
George Irvine 1988–1989 20614.300 [15]
Dick Versace * 19891990 1607387.456303.000 [12]
Bob Hill 19901993 221113108.5111239.250 [16]
Larry Brown 19931997 328190138.579382216.579 [9]
Larry Bird * 19972000 21414767.687523220.615 1997–98 NBA Coach of the Year [11] [5]
Isiah Thomas 20002003 246131115.53315510.333 [17]
Rick Carlisle 20032007 328181147.552351817.514 [18]
Jim O'Brien 20072010 290121169.417 [19]
Frank Vogel 20102016 431250181.580593029.508 [20]
Nate McMillan 20162020 319183136.57419316.158 [21]
Nate Bjorkgren * 2020–2021 723438.472 [22]
Rick Carlisle 2021–present324157167.485311811.621 [18]

Notes

References

General
Specific
  1. "Year by Year with the Pacers". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "Larry Staverman Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  3. 1 2 "Slick Leonard Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 9, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Playoff Index". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 "Larry Bird Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  6. "Shaq Makes Mark in New Millennium". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  7. 1 2 "Mel Daniels Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  8. 1 2 "Jack Ramsay Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  9. 1 2 "Larry Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  10. 1 2 "Top 10 Coaches in NBA History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  11. 1 2 3 "Coach of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  12. 1 2 "Dick Versace Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  13. "Pacers relieve O'Brien of coaching duties". NBA.com. January 30, 2011. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  14. "Jack McKinney Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  15. 1 2 "George Irvine Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  16. "Bob Hill Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  17. "Kevin Pritchard Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  18. 1 2 "Rick Carlisle Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  19. "Jim O'Brien Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  20. "Frank Vogel Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  21. "Nate McMillan Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  22. "Nate Bjorkgren Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.