Conrad Brunner
Pacers.com
http://www.nba.com/pacers/caught_the...011_08_09.html
*sigh* I miss those days.
Pacers.com
http://www.nba.com/pacers/caught_the...011_08_09.html
Indianapolis (Aug. 9, 2011) -- When Austin Croshere entered the NBA in 1997, little did he know he had landed in something of a hoops nirvana.
As he looked around the Indiana Pacers locker room, Croshere saw future Hall of Famers in Chris Mullin and Reggie Miller, future coaches in Mark Jackson and Fred Hoiberg, a future union leader in Antonio Davis and others that would become prominent in their chosen post-basketball careers.
Only he didn't know it at the time.
As a rookie first-round pick from Providence, Croshere had no frame of reference, no grounds for comparison. Now, his playing days in the rear-view mirror and a broadcast career budding, he fully appreciates that environment and the reality that success breeds success.
"I guess I just kind of assumed that's how the NBA was, that everyone had a team that was full of veterans that wanted to help you, they respected their jobs, they worked hard, they were willing to help a young rookie and were great leaders in the locker room and on the court," Croshere said. "I just assumed it was like that everywhere. Shortly after those guys left and the roster started to change and I started to play for other teams I started to realize certainly that was not the case.
"I remember talking to Rick Carlisle about that team and he said, 'That was one of the all-time best rosters in NBA history as far as having a veteran group of guys,' and certainly that was the case."
Carlisle is another product of that team, that era that produced five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in six years, including three in a row culminating in the 2000 NBA Finals under then-coach Larry Bird. One of two assistants on Bird's staff (the other was veteran Dick Harter), Carlisle graduated from that version of Pacers Academy and has gone on to a highly successful coaching career of his own including the 2011 NBA title with Dallas.
Bird, of course, moved to the top of the Pacers' front-office. Mullin, who will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame this weekend, spent five years in the Golden State front office. Miller certainly will follow Mullin into the Hall and has built a career as a prominent TV analyst. Mark Jackson is now the Warriors' head coach. Fred Hoiberg is the head coach at Iowa State. Antonio Davis became active in union politics and rose to the presidency of the NBA players association.
"Mark Jackson was around a long time for a guy that probably couldn't even touch the net," said Croshere. "And Reggie, for anybody to play 18 years in the NBA you're doing something right and I think all those guys are very appreciative and respectful of the opportunities that have been given to them and they've done a very good job as players of networking and maintaining relationships they developed while they were playing.
"Chris Mullin was one of the best players in Golden State history and that led to him being the General Manager there. Obviously the things Reggie's done on big stages has led him to have name recognition with fans throughout basketball that has led to his career, all those guys have gotten opportunities and made the most of them. A lot of people are skeptical about the success Mark will have as a head coach but I wouldn't doubt the guy."
Go back to the dawn of that era, to the 1993-96 teams coached by Larry Brown, and the list of post-playing success grows. Byron Scott has been a successful head coach, a former NBA Coach of the Year with New Orleans in 2008, currently guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sam Mitchell was Coach of the Year in 2007 with Toronto. Haywoode Workman took an entirely different path, becoming one of the few former players to find success as an NBA game official.
Those Pacers teams were not marked by spectacular talent, but rather remarkable professionalism, intense pride and strong chemistry. Those characteristics enabled them to become greater than the sum of their parts. And the lessons learned during those years have served the players well as they have become alumni.
"Playing on different teams at Golden State and God knows what went on there at different times, I think in three years (with the Pacers) we had one thing," said Mullin. "That's unbelievable. And that was the first week of (Bird's) three years and after that nothing happened."
Mullin was referring to Bird's decision to leave two players on the airport tarmac because they were minutes late for the team plane. The guardrails established immediately, the players thereafter stayed in their lanes.
"There are teammates that do things the right way and don't take any shortcuts and there are people that just kind of rely on their athletic ability and their natural talents and don't really try to get the most out of them," said Croshere. "All of those guys were unique in that way. You could say everyone one of those guys maxed out his physical potential by working hard and respecting the game and doing things the right way.
"I certainly was lucky to grow up in the NBA around those guys. It rubbed off on me and how I carried myself. I don't think it's surprising that any of those guys are having high levels of success."
As he looked around the Indiana Pacers locker room, Croshere saw future Hall of Famers in Chris Mullin and Reggie Miller, future coaches in Mark Jackson and Fred Hoiberg, a future union leader in Antonio Davis and others that would become prominent in their chosen post-basketball careers.
Only he didn't know it at the time.
As a rookie first-round pick from Providence, Croshere had no frame of reference, no grounds for comparison. Now, his playing days in the rear-view mirror and a broadcast career budding, he fully appreciates that environment and the reality that success breeds success.
"I guess I just kind of assumed that's how the NBA was, that everyone had a team that was full of veterans that wanted to help you, they respected their jobs, they worked hard, they were willing to help a young rookie and were great leaders in the locker room and on the court," Croshere said. "I just assumed it was like that everywhere. Shortly after those guys left and the roster started to change and I started to play for other teams I started to realize certainly that was not the case.
"I remember talking to Rick Carlisle about that team and he said, 'That was one of the all-time best rosters in NBA history as far as having a veteran group of guys,' and certainly that was the case."
Carlisle is another product of that team, that era that produced five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in six years, including three in a row culminating in the 2000 NBA Finals under then-coach Larry Bird. One of two assistants on Bird's staff (the other was veteran Dick Harter), Carlisle graduated from that version of Pacers Academy and has gone on to a highly successful coaching career of his own including the 2011 NBA title with Dallas.
Bird, of course, moved to the top of the Pacers' front-office. Mullin, who will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame this weekend, spent five years in the Golden State front office. Miller certainly will follow Mullin into the Hall and has built a career as a prominent TV analyst. Mark Jackson is now the Warriors' head coach. Fred Hoiberg is the head coach at Iowa State. Antonio Davis became active in union politics and rose to the presidency of the NBA players association.
"Mark Jackson was around a long time for a guy that probably couldn't even touch the net," said Croshere. "And Reggie, for anybody to play 18 years in the NBA you're doing something right and I think all those guys are very appreciative and respectful of the opportunities that have been given to them and they've done a very good job as players of networking and maintaining relationships they developed while they were playing.
"Chris Mullin was one of the best players in Golden State history and that led to him being the General Manager there. Obviously the things Reggie's done on big stages has led him to have name recognition with fans throughout basketball that has led to his career, all those guys have gotten opportunities and made the most of them. A lot of people are skeptical about the success Mark will have as a head coach but I wouldn't doubt the guy."
Go back to the dawn of that era, to the 1993-96 teams coached by Larry Brown, and the list of post-playing success grows. Byron Scott has been a successful head coach, a former NBA Coach of the Year with New Orleans in 2008, currently guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sam Mitchell was Coach of the Year in 2007 with Toronto. Haywoode Workman took an entirely different path, becoming one of the few former players to find success as an NBA game official.
Those Pacers teams were not marked by spectacular talent, but rather remarkable professionalism, intense pride and strong chemistry. Those characteristics enabled them to become greater than the sum of their parts. And the lessons learned during those years have served the players well as they have become alumni.
"Playing on different teams at Golden State and God knows what went on there at different times, I think in three years (with the Pacers) we had one thing," said Mullin. "That's unbelievable. And that was the first week of (Bird's) three years and after that nothing happened."
Mullin was referring to Bird's decision to leave two players on the airport tarmac because they were minutes late for the team plane. The guardrails established immediately, the players thereafter stayed in their lanes.
"There are teammates that do things the right way and don't take any shortcuts and there are people that just kind of rely on their athletic ability and their natural talents and don't really try to get the most out of them," said Croshere. "All of those guys were unique in that way. You could say everyone one of those guys maxed out his physical potential by working hard and respecting the game and doing things the right way.
"I certainly was lucky to grow up in the NBA around those guys. It rubbed off on me and how I carried myself. I don't think it's surprising that any of those guys are having high levels of success."
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