The Indiana Pacers were kings of the ABA, winning three championships with Slick Leonard manning the sidelines and stars like Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, and George McGinnis leading the way on the court.
But after the ABA-NBA merger, the Pacers struggled to find any success in their first decade in a new league. Over their first 10 seasons in the NBA, the Pacers managed just one playoff appearance (in 1981, when they were quickly swept out of the postseason by Philadelphia).
But in the mid-1980s, the franchise began a dramatic transformation from cellar dweller to contender. That all started when assistant coach Donnie Walsh was promoted to general manager.