When Isiah Thomas took over as the Indiana Pacers’ head coach in 2000, he thought he would be in the organization for years to come. Thomas even assumed that he and Larry Bird would bring the Pacers franchise to greater heights when the latter became the president of basketball operations in 2003.
But instead, one of Bird’s first moves was firing Thomas out of his position, much to the Detroit Pistons legend’s surprise.
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“You know Cheesy, he always called me Cheesy; I really like you; you’ve done a good job here. The team is going in the right direction, but I am going to make a coaching change. I said wait, Larry, before you do that, let me just say this, I think you and I would make a great team here. I don’t know who you think of hiring, but give me a chance,” said Thomas.
Bird was firm with his decision
Isiah made it clear that Larry didn’t think he was a horrible head coach. The three-time MVP just didn’t want Indiana to continue being a mediocre team.
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Since the Boston Celtics icon stepped down as their head coach in 2000 — the same year they lost in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers — they have been kicked out of the first round of the playoffs for three years straight under Thomas’ leadership.
So Bird had to find a replacement, and he went with Rick Carlisle, with whom he won two championships, specifically in 1984 and 1986, with the Celtics.
“He goes, you have done a great job, and it has nothing to do with you, your coaching ability, or anything else. He goes that he played with Rick, he is my assistant coach, he is a good friend of mine, and I will bring Rick in, and you have done nothing wrong. I just like Rick better than I like you,” Thomas recalled.
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It was deeper than being mediocre
When Thomas was fired, the story dominated the headlines as expected, with multiple interviews and think pieces released by media outlets. Thomas didn’t hold back in expressing his disappointment, feeling Bird didn’t really give him the chance to prove himself or get to know him.
Thomas also hinted that he and Bird had communication problems, feeling they could’ve interacted more before making such a significant decision.
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When Bird was asked about Thomas’ thoughts on his firing, the three-time champion tried to keep the situation as drama-free as possible while being honest about his decision.
“I just had a gut feeling this wasn’t going to work,” said Bird after Thomas’ firing was announced.
Under Carlisle, Indiana reached the 2004 Eastern Conference finals and remained a playoff contender until the infamous Malace at the Palace. He stayed through before the Pacers shifted into a rebuild and he went on to the Dallas Mavericks, where he won his first championship as a coach in 2011.
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Thomas would go on to run the New York Knicks first as president and later as head coach, but his time there was filled with drama and dysfunction.
In hindsight, Bird’s decision changed the direction of two franchises. For Thomas, it became a reminder that even legends can’t always control how their coaching story is written.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.