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05-24-2007, 09:11 AM
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Van Gundy tells Pacers he won't be their coach
By Mike Wells
[email protected]
May 24, 2007
The Indiana Pacers never got the opportunity to talk to Sam Mitchell. Stan Van Gundy didn't give them the answer they wanted.
Now they're moving on to Plan C in an attempt to replace fired coach Rick Carlisle.
Van Gundy, the former Miami Heat coach, told the Pacers on Wednesday he wasn't interested in becoming their next coach.
"It's true. I decided against it," Van Gundy said when reached by telephone. "The Pacers are a great organization. The best thing about the whole situation was the people. (Pacers president) Larry (Bird), (CEO) Donnie (Walsh) and (senior vice president David) Morway are all great people."
A Pacers spokesman said Bird had no comment.
Van Gundy appeared to be the front-runner after Mitchell re-signed with Toronto. Van Gundy met with Pacers officials twice -- once in Florida and once in Indianapolis with his wife late last week. He told the Pacers he would decide by the middle of this week.
It was unclear whether Van Gundy turned down an official offer or removed himself from contention.
Either way, losing out on Van Gundy continued a difficult stretch for the Pacers, who lost their first-round pick to Atlanta on Tuesday because they didn't finish in the top three in the draft lottery.
The Pacers interviewed Chicago Bulls assistant Jim Boylan on Wednesday. They previously spoke with assistant coaches Johnny Davis, Chuck Person and Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw.
Van Gundy tells Pacers he won't be their coach
By Mike Wells
[email protected]
May 24, 2007
The Indiana Pacers never got the opportunity to talk to Sam Mitchell. Stan Van Gundy didn't give them the answer they wanted.
Now they're moving on to Plan C in an attempt to replace fired coach Rick Carlisle.
Van Gundy, the former Miami Heat coach, told the Pacers on Wednesday he wasn't interested in becoming their next coach.
"It's true. I decided against it," Van Gundy said when reached by telephone. "The Pacers are a great organization. The best thing about the whole situation was the people. (Pacers president) Larry (Bird), (CEO) Donnie (Walsh) and (senior vice president David) Morway are all great people."
A Pacers spokesman said Bird had no comment.
Van Gundy appeared to be the front-runner after Mitchell re-signed with Toronto. Van Gundy met with Pacers officials twice -- once in Florida and once in Indianapolis with his wife late last week. He told the Pacers he would decide by the middle of this week.
It was unclear whether Van Gundy turned down an official offer or removed himself from contention.
Either way, losing out on Van Gundy continued a difficult stretch for the Pacers, who lost their first-round pick to Atlanta on Tuesday because they didn't finish in the top three in the draft lottery.
The Pacers interviewed Chicago Bulls assistant Jim Boylan on Wednesday. They previously spoke with assistant coaches Johnny Davis, Chuck Person and Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw.