Considered one of the best coaches of his generation, NBA champion in 2011, and in place, without stopping for twenty years, Rick Carlisle offers himself a new challenge with a return to the Pacers. He was thought to be linked to the Mavericks until the end of his career, like a Gregg Popovich, but here he comes to Indianapolis to bring the franchise back to the top. But is there a Carlisle system to be successful, or does it work with the players at its disposal?
His response in the Indianapolis Business Journal. “In 2012, when we changed most of the NBA champion team, we began to string together significant roster changes every year for a number of years. I then made the conscious decision to no longer be a ‘system coach’ ” Rick Carlisle answers. “I took a certain pride in always trying to adapt to the players, to find the best and most enjoyable style of play. The best playstyle isn’t always the most fun when you need to be a catchy team. But in these cases, you have to help the team have fun doing difficult things together. This year, it’s going to be a bit like that. »
“Altruism, the movement of the ball, fair play. We must reflect these values ”
For the former coach of the Pistons and Mavericks, the Pacers must look like the state he represents. “Indiana is a proud state. To me, a lot of it comes down to the fact that this is a hard working region. Our team must reflect this. Everyone should know Indiana and basketball. The hallmarks of basketball in Indiana are selflessness, flow of the ball, fair play. We must reflect these values. “
A priori, the message has already passed, and his players are already at work: “I have listened to a lot about what has happened here over the past two years. In this process, the core messages are: Work to be in the best possible shape before training camp. It is still important. We’re going to focus on being a better team in defense. Last week we had 12 guys here. There were no incumbents or veterans. More exactly, McConnell came the last two days of last week. Malcolm will be there this week. Caris, Domas and Myles will be there this weekend. So the whole group should be there at least a week before training camp starts, which is great.«
