INDIANAPOLIS: Longtime Indiana Pacers manager Donnie Walsh, the architect of the franchise turnaround, announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Walsh, 79, first informed The Indianapolis Star of his intention to retire.
In my 30 years of relationship with Donnie, I have been amazed to see him help lead this organization to what it has become, ”Team owner Herb Simon said in a statement. He was certainly the right leader at the right time, and the invaluable wisdom and guidance he has provided over the decades extends far beyond the confines of the basketball court.
Walsh came to Indiana as an assistant coach in 1984, joining a franchise that had never won a playoff game in its history in the NBA.
Two years later, Walsh was promoted to general manager.
He made his biggest success in 1987, defying the wishes of a basketball mad state to pass high school and college star Steve Alford to select Reggie Miller. It didn’t take long for Miller to transform the drafty night hoots into cheers.
Walsh continued to build the Pacers with strong draft picks and astute moves. Indiana won its first playoff game in 1987, its first playoff series in 1994, and after reaching the Eastern Conference Final four times between 1994 and 1999, the Pacers eventually won the 1999-2000 conference crown. . But the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship in six games.
Eventually, Walsh received the titles of CEO and team president, which he held until he left to return to his hometown of New York City as president of basketball operations for the Knicks.
Walsh resigned as a decision maker in New York City in June 2011, but continued to consult with the Knicks for another year. In June 2012, the Pacers brought Walsh back as president of basketball operations, succeeding Larry Bird.
When Bird returned to the team a year later, Walsh continued to work as a consultant.
I owe him an incredible debt of gratitude, ”said Simon. Although he is retiring, Donnie will always be a part of the Pacers family and I am personally excited for him as he moves on to his next chapter.
Walsh played in North Carolina for coach Frank McGuire and was senior captain of Dean Smith’s first team in 1961-62. He was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in 1962 but never played in the NBA, choosing instead to start a coaching career that included 12 years as McGuire’s assistant in South Carolina.
Denver Nuggets coach Larry Brown hired Walsh as an assistant in 1977, and Walsh was promoted to coach during the 1978-79 season. Walsh went 60-82 before being replaced by Doug Moe just 31 games in the 1980-81 season. Walsh spent one more season in Denver as an assistant before heading to Indiana.
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