Indiana Pacers assistant coach/player development coach Calbert Cheaney is joining the Indiana Hoosiers basketball staff.
Cheaney has been named the Director of Player Development on Mike Woodson's staff. He rejoins the Hoosiers, where he worked in the early 2010s.
"I could not think of anyone better suited to be part of this program than Calbert Cheaney," said Woodson. Cheaney has experience as a player and coach at the collegiate, NBA, and G League level. "I think he can share his experiences of how teams expect their players to work every day and get the most out of their ability," added the IU head coach.
Cheaney joined the Pacers in December of 2020 on head coach Nate Bjorkgren's bench. He stayed with the franchise when Rick Carlisle became the head coach, and he just wrapped up his third season with the franchise.
Cheaney played for IU from 1989 through 1993, where he averaged 19.8 points per game across four seasons. He went on to have a 13 year NBA career with five different teams. At his best, he was a nearly 17 points per game scorer for the Washington Bullets.
Now, he is back in the college ranks. "I'm extremely grateful that Mike Woodson thought enough of me to be a part of the program that played such an important role in shaping me into the man I am," Cheaney said. "My family and I are thrilled about this next chapter in our lives."
The Pacers had to reshape their coaching staff without the assistant coach. The team announced that head video coordinator Isaac Yacob, who joined the team before the 2022-23 campaign, will be promoted to player development coach. He was with the Sacramento Kings and All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton before coming to the blue and gold.
Martin Tombe, who was a part of the Pacers’ Team Assistant Program — which the team describes as "an initiative created two years ago designed to foster professional growth, provide tangible experience, and create a pathway for advancement to those starting their coaching careers" — will be the Pacers new head video coordinator.
"I want to congratulate Calbert Cheaney on returning to his alma mater and joining Head Coach Mike Woodson's staff at Indiana University," Carlisle said in a statement. "We're incredibly appreciative of Calbert's innumerable contributions to our team during his time here, and after spending the last two seasons working with him, I can see why he'll be such a great asset to the Hoosiers' basketball program. I wish him all the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his career."
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