Indiana Pacers assistant Zach Chu leaves team for opportunity with Southern Methodist University

The Pacers staff will be changing

Mar 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A view of the Indiana Pacers logo on the shorts of guard George Hill (3) in the game against the Houston Rockets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Indiana Pacers beat the Houston Rockets by the score of 104-101. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Zach Chu, who spent the last three years as the Manager of Game Strategy and Analytics for the Indiana Pacers, is moving on from the team for a similar role elsewhere.

Chu is joining Southern Methodist University as the Chief Strategist for Men's Basketball, the school announced on Wednesday. Head coach Andy Enfield is in charge of the program.

"We want to be forward thinking as we navigate the rapidly changing landscape of college basketball," Enfield said in a team-issued statement. "We believe leveraging analytics to inform our decision making across our program, from portal management to player development to game strategy and this hire positions us for sustainable success as we enter the ACC."

Chu originally joined the Pacers in 2021 — he was hired at the same time as Jannero Pargo to be on head coach Rick Carlisle's staff. Chu was with Carlisle with the Dallas Mavericks prior to coming to Indiana, and he was with the Texas Legends in the G League previously. He also spent time with the LA Clippers and was a four-year college player at the University of Richmond.

The ex-Pacers assistant is from Dallas originally, where SMU is located. "The level of excitement at SMU is incredible," Chu said in a statement. "The opportunity to develop a platform for Coach Enfield and our staff which aligns strategy and data to meet the challenges of a modern college program is extremely exciting."

Indiana's season begins in about a month.

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