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The 10 Greatest Coaches in Indiana Pacers History

By Jon Washburn

Mar 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel calls out a play from the bench in the second half of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Brooklyn Nets beat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 123-111. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel calls out a play from the bench in the second half of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Brooklyn Nets beat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 123-111. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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#1. Bobby “Slick” Leonard

Slick
Slick /

Overall: 529-456*  

3-Time ABA Champion

  • 1968-69:*  42-27  Reached ABA Finals
  • 1969-70:*  59-25  ABA Champions
  • 1970-71:*  58-26  Reached ABA Semi-Finals
  • 1971-72:*  47-37  ABA Champions
  • 1972-73:*  51-33  ABA Champions
  • 1973-74:*  46-38  Reached ABA Semi-Finals
  • 1974-75:*  45-39  Reached ABA Finals
  • 1975-76:*  39-45  Reached ABA Quarter-Finals
  • 1976-77:  36-46
  • 1977-78:  31-51
  • 1978-79:  38-44
  • 1979-80:  37-45

Bobby “Slick” Leonard isa legend in central Indiana. Countless young people grew up hearing him yell “Boom Baby!!!” every time Reggie Miller or someone else connected on an important 3-pointer. Most fans know that he coached the Pacers in the ABA, but very few understand just how great of a coach he was.

The Pacers, quite simply, owned the ABA, and they did so in large part because of Slick Leonard.

Oh sure, Roger Brown was one of the greatest high school players to ever play the game, and George McGinnis was a prolific scorer, but it was Slick’s decision to revolve the team’s offense and defense around an under-sized center named Mel Daniels. Daniels has been called the “Bill Russell of the ABA,” and under his and Slick’s leadership, the Pacers dominated the league for nearly a decade.

Jim Chones, power forward for the 1979 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, fondly remembers playing against Daniels and Leonard as a member of both the New York Nets and Carolina Cougars.

“The main thing you gotta know about Slick is that he’s easy to deal with,” said Chones. “He’s approachable. He’s accessible. And in his mind, by his body language, he thinks like a player. When he was younger, he could go out there and shoot, and his players would love that. But he did something to the game that a lot of people copied. He had a great center by the name of Mel Daniels who didn’t know he wasn’t big enough to play center. He was only 6’9” but he had the tenacity of a Wilt Chamberlain and a Bill Russell, and they built their whole team around his energy. The team was loaded, but Slick made it work with everyone. Roger Brown, Bob Netolicky, George McGinnis, all those guys … but Slick knew how to make those guys play and he gave them just enough so that they could use their creativity and get things done. Slick had a ‘Celtics mentality.’ Slick figured out whatever his players could do best, and then made them do that every single night.

Chones should know. He is now an announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he actually played for Larry Brown against Slick Leonard in 1974. And just like seemingly everyone who competed with or against Slick, Chones holds the Pacers legend in the highest esteem.

“He was a man,” said Chones. “A man’s man. Out of all of the coaches in the ABA, Slick Leonard and Hubie Brown stuck out above everyone. They were the class of that league.”

Slick Leonard was definitely a man’s man, and he remains the cream of the crop among Indiana coaches.

*Pacers were in the ABA

**For a more detailed discussion on this post, and a cool story about Slick Leonard, listen to MillerTimePod Episode #108: Always wear a bowtie.

Next: Ranking the Best Jerseys in Pacers History

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