Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle directs his players during Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Indianapolis on June 13. Carlisle played two seasons for the University of Maine in the early 1980s, when he was recruited by former Black Bears coach Thomas “Skip” Chappelle. “The word was, he had a great mind for the game. Definitely a guard who could handle the team with his knowledge of the game,” Chapelle said. (Michael Conroy/AP Photograph)
It’s been a couple weeks since the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA finals to win their first championships since 1979, when they were the Seattle Supersonics. Here in Maine, one Pacers fan watched with particular interest, thinking back 45 years to when Indiana’s coach had been a player at the University of Maine.
Rick Carlisle, now four seasons into his second stint as Pacers coach, still has a huge fan, and friend, in Thomas “Skip” Chappelle, his coach during two seasons with the Black Bears. After his sophomore year at Maine, Carlisle transferred to Virginia, where he played with Ralph Samson and helped the Cavaliers reach the 1984 Final Four.
Chappelle and Carlisle still talk regularly, about basketball and life. When Carlisle was playing for the Boston Celtics, Chappelle had him visit his summer basketball camps. They’ve played golf together at courses around Maine.
“He understands the game, and it started when you’re a player, understanding the coaching and your teammates,” Chappelle said of Carlisle. “He figured out quickly how he commanded that situation. He just has a knack for dealing with athletes.”
The basketball recruiting trail has never been a straight road. It’s always had twists and turns and dead ends. Like the one Chappelle and his assistants at the University of Maine went down in the late 1970s, when they went to Worcester Academy to scout a center but didn’t return to Orono with a big man to fill the low post.
“We discovered this guard named Rick Carlisle,” Chappelle recalled. “The word was, he had a great mind for the game. Definitely a guard who could handle the team with his knowledge of the game. Maybe a little slow on the first step, but he made up for it with his makeup.”
It lasted two impressive seasons. As a freshman in 1979-80, Carlisle averaged 12.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for the Black Bears. As a sophomore starting all 28 games, he averaged 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
Chappelle never harbored any ill will towards Carlisle for leaving the Black Bears for the Cavaliers and the challenge of playing in the ACC. When Carlisle was a sophomore in the 1980-81 season, Maine played Kentucky and DePaul, basketball juggernauts at the time, and everybody could see Carlisle could more than hold his own against those teams. He had 12 assists against DePaul, helping the Black Bears stay close to the Blue Demons in an 85-77 loss.
“His family followed us to most of our games. They recognized, and Rick recognized, and we recognized, that Rick could play with those teams. They were looking to transfer,” Chappelle said.
Carlisle had to sit out a year before he could play at Virginia, per NCAA rules at the time, but it turned out to be worth it. From college, he was selected by the Boston Celtics in the third round of the 1984 draft. He played with the Celtics until 1987, and also spent time with the Knicks and Nets before becoming a coach in 1989. At about the time Carlisle was embarking on his coaching career, Chappelle was ending his, retiring from Maine in 1988.
Carlisle-coached teams have a knack for playing above their perceived level when it matters most. This season’s Pacers finished fourth in the East before finding their groove in the postseason. Last season, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals (falling to the eventual champion Celtics) as the No. 6 seed. The Dallas Mavericks team Carlisle coached to the NBA title in 2011 was the No. 3 seed in the West and went 16-5 in the playoffs, never once forced to a Game 7.
Chappelle coached a handful of guys at Maine who got a crack at the NBA, including Jeff Cross and Rufus Harris. Great players, but none of them had the ability to break down the game like Carlisle. The list of people who have an NBA title as a player and coach is just 14 names long, and Carlisle’s is one of them. He sees the game well and is able to tailor his team’s approach to its strengths, Chappelle said. He’ll pick his spots to attack an offense with full-court pressure. You’ll notice, Chappelle said, when watching a Pacers game that multiple players could steal an inbounds pass. That’s by design, trying to win the little moments that make up a complete basketball game.
“Rick is a very sharp individual, on the court and off,” Chappelle said, noting Carlisle is the longtime president of the NBA Coaches Association.
Chappelle is proud to point out that Carlisle isn’t the only tie to the Black Bears with the Pacers. One of Carlisle’s assistant coaches is Jim Boylen, a two-year captain at Maine in the mid-1980s who spent time as head coach at the University of Utah and the Chicago Bulls.
More than four decades after coaching Carlisle for a pair of all-too-brief seasons, and being friends with him in the years since, Chappelle isn’t surprised at all his former player has become one of the best coaches in the NBA. The basketball mind was there all along. You could see it in the way Carlisle spoke to his teammates in the huddle, Chappelle said. You could see it in the way he carried himself in the locker room.
“How he handled everything was outstanding. He basically ran the team when he was on the floor,” Chappelle said.
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