Former NBA star Chris Mullin cherishes his time with the Indiana Pacers - NBA Update
The former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Chris Mullin recently shed light on his time with the Indiana Pacers, a span, he recollected an incredible experience. Mullin spent only three years with the Pacers, but viewed those years as the best in his NBA career.
“It was an incredible experience for me to play for the Pacers at that time; I mean Reggie Miller, a Hall of Fame player obviously, a guy who before I became his teammate I really didn't know much of and probably was not too fond of, actually. But when I was his teammate he was probably one of my favourite teammates of all-time, probably the hardest working guy I was around. He said.
It was not only his colleagues that made his time at the Pacers memorable, Mullin also showered praise on the management, especially Donnie Walsh and the then Pacers assistant coach Rick Carlisle.
“And the guy in charge of it all was one of the most respected guys I know and a guy I respect the most, Donnie Walsh. He put that whole thing together. Look at Rick Carlisle now; we had him as an assistant coach -- just incredible basketball people.”
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer started his career in 1985 when the Golden State Warriors selected him as the 7th overall pick in the NBA draft. His first three years with the Warriors was consistent and he improved his game with every season. He helped his team to advance into the Western Conference Semi-finals in the second season of his career.
Soon though, he was traded to the Pacers. He dazzled all with tremendous performance in his very first season with the Pacers in 1996-1997. Mullin recorded an average of 11.3 points per game that season and improved his game under the guidance of head coach of Larry Bird. He played consistently throughout the regular season and eventually helped his team to qualify for the playoffs. His brilliant ball play also continued in the post season and the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals that year.
Chris Mullin was unstoppable during all the playoffs, but could not finish the playoff run on high not as the Pacers were beaten by the Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals. Mullin played the next two years with the Pacers. He played a total 179 games for them and helped them again to qualify for the Finals. However, once again the Bulls stood in their way and defeated them again in the Conference Finals.
Mullin has achieved many awards in his luminous career. He was named five times as an NBA All Star and won the Olympic Gold medal two times. He retired after the 2000-2001 season and joined the Warriors as Executive Vice President for Basketball Operations. Mullin is currently working as a basketball expert with a sports channel.
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