“Greatest Hero of My Life”: Heartbroken NBA Champion Shares Father’s Death News Before Game

NBA coaches are often expected to keep their emotions in check. It applies even when the pressure of a season leaves little room for anything outside basketball. But for Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, a moment before facing the Philadelphia 76ers carried a far more personal weight. The championship-winning coach opened up about losing his father. A 96-year-old man whose influence extended well beyond his family, whom he described as “the greatest hero of my life.” Carlisle explained why the Pacers organization’s support meant so much during one of the hardest moments of his life.