Rick Carlisle Coaching Career

Rick Carlisle is an American professional basketball head coach who is the head coach of the Indiana Pacers as of May 2025. Before beginning his coaching career, Carlisle played basketball at different levels, including college and in the NBA. Rick joined the University of Maine for the 1979-81 period. After playing two years for Maine, Rick transferred to the University of Virginia, where he red-shirted for one year due to NCAA transfer rules before debuting for the Virginia Cavaliers in the 1982-83 season. Rick played his final two years of college ball for UVA, finishing his collegiate career averaging 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 0.5 steals a game.

After graduating from college, Carlisle declared for the 1984 NBA Draft and was selected in the third round as the 70th overall by the Boston Celtics. Carlisle's basketball career lasted for five years, during which he won one NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics. After a short career as a player, Carlisle moved to the NBA and began his career starting as an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets.

Rick Carlisle Coaching Career

Carlisle has worked as an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Indiana Pacers. After five years of playing professionally, Carlisle worked as an assistant coach for eleven years, beginning with the New Jersey Nets in 1989. He got his first head coaching job in 2001 with the Detroit Pistons, where he stayed for two seasons before starting his first stint with the Indiana Pacers as their head coach in 2003-04.

Detroit Pistons (2001-2003)

Carlisle got his first break as a head coach for the Detroit Pistons in 2001 after he was brought in on a reported three-year deal. Before becoming head coach of the Pistons, Carlisle was expected to replace his former teammate Larry Bird as head coach of the Pacers, but the organization preferred a different approach and chose former Pistons star Isaiah Thomas.

Carlisle took the Pistons team from finishing 30-52 in the 2000-01 season to consecutive 50-32 regular season records and back-to-back deep playoff runs.

Dallas Mavericks (2008-2021)

In 2008, Carlisle signed a four-year deal to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks were looking for consistent playoff commitments. In thirteen seasons as head coach, Carlisle coached the team to nine playoffs, a conference championship, and an NBA Championship in 2011. Carlisle became one of the few NBA coaches to win a ring both as a player and as a coach.

Indiana Pacers (2003-2007, 2021-present)

In 2003, Carlisle was brought in as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, replacing Isaiah Thomas. In his first season, Carlisle led the team to a season-best 61-21 record and to the Eastern Conference finals, where the Pacers lost to a Detroit Pistons team four games to two (4-2). After two more playoff trips with the team, Carlisle was let go by the Pacers organization.

Carlisle returned to Indiana in 2021 on a four-year, $29 million deal and continues to be the franchise's head coach as of May 2025.