Pacers News Release | June 17, 2010
Indiana Pacers Coach Jim O’Brien announced Thursday the hiring of Walter McCarty as an assistant coach.
The 36-year-old McCarty, a native of Evansville, Ind., comes to the Pacers from the University of Louisville where he was an assistant for Coach Rick Pitino. McCarty played collegiately at the University of Kentucky where he was part of the Wildcats’ NCAA championship team in 1996. A first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks (19th overall) in 1996, McCarty played for the Knicks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers before retiring after 10 seasons in the NBA.
“I’ve had the privilege to be associated with Walter at the University of Kentucky and with the Boston Celtics,” said O’Brien. “He’s an extremely hard-working student of the game and he and his family will be great additions to the Pacers and Indianapolis area.”
After retiring, McCarty joined Pitino’s staff where he has been the last three seasons.
“I am ecstatic about returning to my home state and to start working with the Pacers,” said McCarty. “I am anxious to work alongside Jim O'Brien and am very excited about the direction this franchise is headed.”
“Walt has been an integral part of my basketball family for many years, both as a player and a coach,” said Rick Pitino. “He is an outstanding teacher, motivator and person and will be a great asset to the Pacers organization. We will miss his upbeat and positive personality he brought each and everyday. We are very excited for him to enter the ranks of professional basketball as a coach.”