Pacers promote assistant Nate McMillan to head coach

The Indiana Pacers are replacing Frank Vogel with assistant Nate McMillan as their new head coach.

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The Pacers have hired assistant Nate McMillan as their next head coach, the team announced on Monday.

McMillan, who has been on the Pacers’ staff since 2013, will take over for Frank Vogel, who was fired after five seasons last week.

“I truly believe that Nate is the right coach for us at this time,” team president Larry Bird said in a statement. “When I heard he was interested, I got in touch with him, met with him, and in our conversation I came away with all the confidence in the world in Nate to lead our franchise to where we want to go.

“His experience as a player, head coach and assistant coach in the NBA are valuable assets to us.”

A second-round pick of the SuperSonics in 1986, McMillan played 12 seasons in the league before he was hired to coach Seattle in 2000. He then left for the Trail Blacers job in 2005, and was fired in 2012.

– Kenny Ducey