Rick Carlisle, the steady hand behind the Indiana Pacers’ unlikely charge to the NBA Finals last June, isn’t going anywhere.
The Pacers announced that they signed Carlisle to a multi-year contract extension on Wednesday, August 20 (PH time) with the terms of the deal not disclosed.
We have signed head coach Rick Carlisle to a multi-year extension 📝
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) August 19, 2025
More info: https://t.co/jlfIHcmJj6 pic.twitter.com/fwtvv6HBRw
Carlisle guided the Pacers to an inspiring Finals run where they lost seven games to eventual champions OKC Thunder.
[ALSO READ: Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelm Pacers in Game 7 to win first-ever NBA championship]
Star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon early in Game 7 and is expected to miss the the entire 2025-26 campaign.
[ALSO READ: Pacers rule out star guard Tyrese Haliburton for 2025-26 NBA season after Achilles surgery]
"Herb Simon, the Simon family, Steven Rales, Kevin Pritchard and our players make Indiana such a special place. Let's go!" Carlisle bared in a statement after the developments.
The season tactician, who won the title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, is entering his fifth season since returning to Indiana in 2021. At 65, he is the league’s oldest active head coach.
“Since his return to the Pacers in 2021, coach Carlisle has been integral to our success, which includes leading us to consecutive Eastern Conference finals appearances and our first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years,” team president Kevin Pritchard said in a press release.
He added: “Beyond his coaching achievements that rank him among the best in NBA history, coach Carlisle continues to embrace our community and give back to the state of Indiana with his Drive and Dish program.”
Carlisle owns a 993-860 (.536) record over 23 NBA seasons, with 16 playoff appearances. He is expected to become the 11th coach in league history to reach the 1,000-win mark early next season.
He ranks second among active coaches in regular-season wins, behind Milwaukee's Doc Rivers, and is 10th all-time with 86 postseason victories, trailing Rivers, Miami's Erik Spoelstra, and Golden State's Steve Kerr.
