The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have made two additions to head coach Rick Carlisle’s staff.
Jannero Pargo was hired as a player development assistant. Pargo spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. Prior to his time in Portland, he served as an assistant coach for the Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League for two seasons (2017-19). A native of Chicago, Pargo played 11 NBA seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets.
Zach Chu was named Manager of Game Strategy and Analytics. Chu spent the last two seasons as a basketball analyst on Carlisle’s staff with the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to that, Chu served as an assistant coach of the Texas Legends in the NBA G League and spent a year with the Los Angeles Clippers. Chu is a graduate of the University of Richmond where he played four seasons for the Spiders’ men’s basketball team.
In addition, the Pacers announced they have retained player development coaches Calbert Cheaney and Tyler Marsh, player development assistant Maurice Baker and video coordinator Dylan DeBusk.
A native of Evansville, Ind., Cheaney enters his second season as a member of the Pacers’ staff. He previously served in coaching roles as an assistant in the NBA G League with the Erie BayHawks for two seasons, as an assistant at St. Louis University for three seasons, as Director of Basketball Operations at Indiana University for two seasons and as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors for one year. Cheaney played 13 NBA seasons for Washington, Boston, Denver, Utah and Golden State. He starred during his collegiate career at Indiana University from 1989-93, was named a three-time All-American and remains the Big Ten Conference’s leading scorer with 2,613 career points. Cheaney is married to his wife, Yvette, and they have one son, Julian, and one daughter, Sydney.
Marsh is also entering his second season with the Pacers. He spent two seasons as a video coordinator and player development coach with Toronto, helping the Raptors earn the NBA title in 2019. Marsh also spent four seasons as an assistant in the NBA G League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Bakersfield Jam, Iowa Wolves and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He played two seasons at the University of Alabama-Birmingham before finishing his playing career at Birmingham Southern College.
Baker will begin his second season in his role as player development assistant. A Madison, Ill. native, Baker played collegiately at Oklahoma State from 1998-2002. He played in the NBA during the 2004-05 season with the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers. Baker also played nine seasons in the NBA G League, as well as time spent in professional leagues in Lithuania and France. ‘
DeBusk joined Indiana’s staff prior to the 2020-21 season. He served in a number of roles within the Phoenix Suns’ organization over the previous six seasons. He began in the NBA G League in 2014 as an assistant coach for the Bakersfield Jam in 2014-15. DeBusk was eventually promoted to assistant general manager of the Northern Arizona Suns and held the interim general manager title in 2018-19.
