Rick Carlisle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rick Carlisle

Carlisle in 2011
Indiana Pacers
Head coach
Personal information
Born	(1959-10-27) October 27, 1959 (age 65) Ogdensburg, New York, U.S.
High school	Lisbon Central (Lisbon, New York) Worcester Academy (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	Maine (1979–1981) Virginia (1982–1984)
NBA Draft	1984 / Round: 3 / Pick: 70th overall
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Pro career	1984–1989
Coaching career	1989–present
League	NBA
Career history
As player:
1984–1987	Boston Celtics
1987	Albany Patroons
1987–1988	New York Knicks
1989	New Jersey Nets
As coach:
1989–1994	New Jersey Nets (assistant)
1994–1997	Portland Trail Blazers (assistant)
1997–2000	Indiana Pacers (assistant)
2001–2003	Detroit Pistons
2003–2007	Indiana Pacers
2008–2021	Dallas Mavericks
2021–present	Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
As player: NBA champion (1986) As coach: NBA champion (2011) NBA Coach of the Year (2002) NBA All-Star Game head coach (2004)
Career NBA statistics
Points	422 (2.2 ppg)
Rebounds	141 (0.8 rpg)
Assists	201 (1.1 apg)

Rick Carlisle (born October 27, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Carlisle has also been the head coach for the Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks. As a player, he played for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and New Jersey Nets. Rick Carlisle is one of only 11 people to win an NBA championship as both a player and a coach.

Playing Career: From College to the NBA

Rick Carlisle grew up in Lisbon, New York. He went to Lisbon Central High School and then Worcester Academy. He played college basketball at the University of Maine from 1979 to 1981.

After that, he moved to the University of Virginia. He was a starter for the Virginia Cavaliers team in 1982–83. This team included Ralph Sampson, a famous college player. In 1983, Virginia reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. The next year, Carlisle was a co-captain and helped his team reach the Final Four. He scored 12.5 points and grabbed 3.3 rebounds per game during his college career.

Playing in the NBA

In 1984, the Boston Celtics picked Carlisle in the NBA draft. He played with basketball legend Larry Bird. With the Celtics, Carlisle won an NBA championship in 1986. He also played in the NBA Finals in 1985 and 1987.

From 1984 to 1987, Carlisle played a supporting role. He then played for the Albany Patroons in the CBA league. Later, he joined the New York Knicks and played with Patrick Ewing. In 1989, he played a few games for the New Jersey Nets.

Coaching Career: Leading NBA Teams

In 1989, Rick Carlisle became an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets. He stayed there for five seasons. In 1994, he became an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers for three seasons.

In 1997, Carlisle joined the Indiana Pacers as an assistant coach. He worked under his former teammate, Larry Bird. During this time, the Pacers had some of their best seasons. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 1998 and the NBA Finals in 2000.

Detroit Pistons (2001–2003)

Carlisle became the head coach for the Detroit Pistons in 2001. He led the team to 50 wins in both of his seasons. They also won their division titles and made it to the playoffs. In 2002, Carlisle was named the Coach of the Year.

The Pistons let Carlisle go after the 2002–03 season. This happened even though they had just reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

Indiana Pacers (2003–2007)

Carlisle with the Pacers in 2005

In 2003, Carlisle returned to the Indiana Pacers as their head coach. In his first season back, he led the Pacers to a fantastic 61–21 record. This was the best record in the NBA that year! They made it to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Detroit Pistons. Carlisle also coached the East All-Stars in the All-Star Game that year.

In 2005, the Pacers faced many challenges, including injuries to key players and suspensions. Despite this, they still made the playoffs. They won their first-round series but were again defeated by the Detroit Pistons.

The Pacers missed the playoffs in 2007. Carlisle understood the decision when the team decided to make a change. He left the Pacers with a record of 181 wins and 147 losses. After leaving Indiana, Carlisle worked as a TV analyst for ESPN.

Dallas Mavericks (2008–2021)

Carlisle in 2009

In 2008, Rick Carlisle became the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks. In his first season, the Mavericks won 50 games and made the playoffs. They upset the San Antonio Spurs in the first round but lost in the next round.

The next year, the Mavericks won 55 games but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Winning the NBA Championship (2011)

The 2010–11 season was Carlisle's most successful. The Mavericks added new players like Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojaković. They had a strong team with stars like Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd. Dallas finished the regular season with 57 wins.

In the playoffs, the Mavericks played incredibly well. They beat the Portland Trail Blazers, then swept the Los Angeles Lakers. After that, they won against the Oklahoma City Thunder to reach the NBA Finals.

In the 2011 NBA Finals, Carlisle coached the Mavericks to a 4–2 victory over the Miami Heat. This was the first championship in the Mavericks' history!

After the Championship

After winning the championship, Carlisle signed a new deal with the Mavericks. In 2013, the Mavericks missed the playoffs for the first time in a while. They returned to the playoffs in 2014 and 2015 but lost in the first round both times.

On January 30, 2015, Carlisle earned his 600th win as a coach. On November 1, 2015, he became the winningest coach in Mavericks history. He signed another five-year deal with Dallas.

In 2018, the Mavericks got Luka Dončić, a future superstar. The team made the playoffs again in 2020 and 2021, but lost to the Los Angeles Clippers both times. On June 17, 2021, Carlisle stepped down as the Mavericks' head coach.

Return to Indiana (2021–Present)

Carlisle with the Pacers in 2023

On June 24, 2021, Rick Carlisle was hired again as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers. The team started to rebuild, bringing in young talents like Tyrese Haliburton. Carlisle called Haliburton "an elite young point guard." The Pacers also drafted promising players like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker.

The Pacers missed the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 while they were rebuilding. In October 2023, Carlisle signed a new contract extension with Indiana. On November 6, 2023, he recorded his 900th win as a coach.

In 2024, the Pacers, with new player Pascal Siakam, made the playoffs and reached the Eastern Conference Finals. They were swept by the Boston Celtics.

Personal Life

Rick Carlisle is married to Dr. Donna Nobile, a pediatrician. They have a daughter named Abby. Carlisle enjoys playing the piano and flying his own small airplane.

Career statistics

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1984–85	Boston	38	0	4.7	.388	.000	.882	.6	.7	.1	.0	1.8
1985–86	Boston	77	1	9.9	.487	.000	.652	1.0	1.4	.2	.1	2.6
1986–87	Boston	42	0	7.1	.326	.313	.750	.7	.8	.2	.0	1.9
1987–88	New York	26	0	7.8	.433	.353	.909	.5	1.2	.4	.2	2.8
1989–90	New Jersey	5	0	4.2	.143	.000	—	.0	1.0	.2	.2	.4
Career		188	1	7.8	.422	.229	.775	.8	1.1	.2	.0	2.2

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1986	Boston	10	0	5.4	.533	—	.750	.5	.8	.2	.0	1.9
1988	New York	2	0	4.0	.250	.000	—	1.0	.0	.5	.0	1.0
Career		12	0	5.2	.474	.000	.750	.6	.7	.3	.0	1.8

Head coaching record

See also

In Spanish: Rick Carlisle para niños