Indiana Pacers Fire Coach Nate McMillan
While one former NC State star firmly established himself as part of the Indiana Pacers' foundation moving forward, another was told by the NBA team that his services are no longer needed.
Nate McMillan, who helped the Wolfpack to Elite Eight appearances in both 1985 and '86, was fired by the Pacers on Wednesday, less than a week after they were swept by the Miami Heat in the opening round of the league's playoffs in Orlando.
"On behalf of the Simon family and the Pacers organization, I'd like to thank Nate for his years with the team," Kevin Pritchard, Indiana's president of basketball operations, said in a statement.. "This was a very hard decision for us to make; but we feel it's in the best interest of the organization to move in a different direction.
"Nate and I have been through the good times and the bad times; and it was an honor to work with him for those 11 years (in Indiana and Portland)."
McMillan spent four seasons coaching the Pacers since taking over in 2016-17. Although his 183-136 record was respectable enough. His 183 wins are the third most in team history.
His lack of playoff success, however, proved to be his undoing His postseason record with Indiana is 3-16 and 17-36 overall in his coaching career. His overall mark is 661-588.
McMillan's departure from Indiana comes just as fellow Wolfpack product T.J. Warren has begun to emerge as an important part of the team's future.
Despite missing the final two seeding games with a case of plantar facitis, Warren -- the 2014 ACC Player of the Year -- ended up averaging 26.6 points in the 10 games he played in the bubble while shooting 57% from three-point range.
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