ducks
10-03-2003, 07:18 PM
Pacers' ex-coach visiting camps around league
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Isiah Thomas wants to be in Indianapolis, preparing for a fourth season as the Pacers' coach.
Instead, fired by new team president Larry Bird, Thomas is roaming the country, attending NBA training camps and hoping to pick up a lesson or two.
On Thursday and Friday, he was in Philadelphia, watching 76ers coach Randy Ayers at work. On Saturday, he'll be in Detroit, taking notes on Pistons coach Larry Brown.
``It's a year of opportunity for me to learn as much as I can and meet and talk with the great minds about the game and stay in the gym,'' Thomas said.
The timing of his firing was stunning. Former Pacers team president Donnie Walsh insisted at the end of last season that Thomas would return for the final year of his four-year contract.
But in July, Walsh was named Pacers chief executive officer and Bird was brought in as the president. Bird said he had an open mind about Thomas' future, but he needed less than two months to make a decision.
Thomas was out. Bird's friend Rick Carlisle was in.
``Larry had assured me when he took the job I'd have an opportunity to continue on my last year and be evaluated on that year,'' Thomas said. ``I took him at his word, and I think everyone else took him at his word. That didn't turn out to be true.''
Thomas was more disappointed than bitter.
The Pacers were 131-115 in the regular season under Thomas, making the playoffs all three seasons. But they never advanced past the first round.
``We were learning the hard lessons you have to learn to get to the next level,'' he said.
The Pacers started last season 37-15, and Thomas was the Eastern Conference coach at the All-Star game. They unraveled in the second half _ finishing with 48 wins _ because of off-court tragedies, Thomas said.
Jamaal Tinsley and Austin Croshere missed games because of deaths in the family, and Jermaine O'Neal's stepfather was hospitalized with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Thomas said the organization should have brought in a grief counselor.
As a coach, Thomas said there wasn't much he would have done differently, though he admitted he spent too much time trying to get the Pacers to sustain their quality of play over the entire season.
``Trying to play at that high level for six months with a group of guys that age is impossible to do,'' he said. ``If they were a veteran team that had been through the wars, they'd know how to sustain that.''
Thomas keeps in contact with some of his former players, who have voiced their support.
``I still have a relationship with Coach Thomas,'' All-Star Jermaine O'Neal said. ``He was over at my house for about five hours the other night.''
Thomas plans to coach again and hopes his odyssey around the league will generate fresh ideas. Thomas, who is keeping his family in Indianapolis this year, still has a soft spot for the Pacers.
``I'll always root for those guys,'' he said. ``They did things for me I know other young players in this league wouldn't do for their coaches.'' link (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/gen/wire?messageId=24275563)
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Isiah Thomas wants to be in Indianapolis, preparing for a fourth season as the Pacers' coach.
Instead, fired by new team president Larry Bird, Thomas is roaming the country, attending NBA training camps and hoping to pick up a lesson or two.
On Thursday and Friday, he was in Philadelphia, watching 76ers coach Randy Ayers at work. On Saturday, he'll be in Detroit, taking notes on Pistons coach Larry Brown.
``It's a year of opportunity for me to learn as much as I can and meet and talk with the great minds about the game and stay in the gym,'' Thomas said.
The timing of his firing was stunning. Former Pacers team president Donnie Walsh insisted at the end of last season that Thomas would return for the final year of his four-year contract.
But in July, Walsh was named Pacers chief executive officer and Bird was brought in as the president. Bird said he had an open mind about Thomas' future, but he needed less than two months to make a decision.
Thomas was out. Bird's friend Rick Carlisle was in.
``Larry had assured me when he took the job I'd have an opportunity to continue on my last year and be evaluated on that year,'' Thomas said. ``I took him at his word, and I think everyone else took him at his word. That didn't turn out to be true.''
Thomas was more disappointed than bitter.
The Pacers were 131-115 in the regular season under Thomas, making the playoffs all three seasons. But they never advanced past the first round.
``We were learning the hard lessons you have to learn to get to the next level,'' he said.
The Pacers started last season 37-15, and Thomas was the Eastern Conference coach at the All-Star game. They unraveled in the second half _ finishing with 48 wins _ because of off-court tragedies, Thomas said.
Jamaal Tinsley and Austin Croshere missed games because of deaths in the family, and Jermaine O'Neal's stepfather was hospitalized with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Thomas said the organization should have brought in a grief counselor.
As a coach, Thomas said there wasn't much he would have done differently, though he admitted he spent too much time trying to get the Pacers to sustain their quality of play over the entire season.
``Trying to play at that high level for six months with a group of guys that age is impossible to do,'' he said. ``If they were a veteran team that had been through the wars, they'd know how to sustain that.''
Thomas keeps in contact with some of his former players, who have voiced their support.
``I still have a relationship with Coach Thomas,'' All-Star Jermaine O'Neal said. ``He was over at my house for about five hours the other night.''
Thomas plans to coach again and hopes his odyssey around the league will generate fresh ideas. Thomas, who is keeping his family in Indianapolis this year, still has a soft spot for the Pacers.
``I'll always root for those guys,'' he said. ``They did things for me I know other young players in this league wouldn't do for their coaches.'' link (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/gen/wire?messageId=24275563)