Fieldhouse Files: Scott Agness on the Indiana Pacers

When a Pacers player is dealing with discomfort or an injury, Josh Corbeil is who they contact. At practice or in a game, at home or in the middle of the night, Corbeil is essentially always on call. Corbeil, officially the Senior Director Medical Operations and Head Athletic Trainer, joined the Pacers in 2004. He took over for legendary athletic trainer David Craig. Since then, he has worked with...

VigilantSports.com caught up with George Hill Thursday night, his final evening in Indianapolis. The point guard, who was traded to the Jazz in June, is headed to Utah to prepare for the upcoming 2016-17 NBA season with his new team. [As the Pacers move on from Hill, his love for Indy isn’t going anywhere.] In a one-on-one interview with the “Hometown Hero,” Hill shares his feelings about leaving...

He knows the X’s and O’s of all 30 NBA teams, is on the road over 200 days a year, and his work each season begins when the schedule is released, as it was on Aug. 11. Right then, he begins mapping out his plan, where he needs to be and how he’s going to get there. The entire process will take him into September, the final month of the NBA offseason. Jimmy Powell resides in Springfield, Massachuse...

Yogi Ferrell is ready to begin the next phase of his life, as a professional. After four seasons in Bloomington, the Park Tudor and Indiana University graduate will head to Brooklyn to prepare for training camp near the end of August, one month before camp opens. Ferrell went through 16 pre-draft workouts but did not get drafted, although teams were interested in drafting and stashing him overseas...

CHICAGO, Ill. — Jalen Rose and two dozen students from the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy were in Chicago late last week for an experience of a lifetime. Jeep took care of their travel and then got them hooked up with tickets for Team USA’s exhibition game against Venezuela. Thursday afternoon, Rose was a man of the people — out at the Navy Pier for an event with Jeep. He later shot hoops while sta...

The annual Knox Indy Pro Am is set for another season of games, running Tuesday, July 26 through Sunday, August 7. The Indianapolis-based Pro Am typically goes on for several weeks but this year it will  be held on seven dates over a two-week period. Carlos Knox is the man behind the idea. A former pro overseas and standout at IUPUI — he’s in the IUPUI Athletics Hall of Fame — Knox created the Pro...

ORLANDO, Fla. — After the Pacers played two Summer League games, they had the Fourth of July to themselves. Before relaxing and hanging out with friends, Glenn Robinson III met me in the hotel lobby to record this episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast. The Pacers signed Robinson III last season to a three-year deal with only a little more than one season guaranteed. The Gary, Indiana nativ...

Indiana’s own Jeff Teague returned home, officially introduced as a member of his hometown team Monday afternoon. A 2007 graduate of Pike High School, Teague is fired up to play home in Indianapolis. “I’ve always wanted to play for the Pacers,” Teague, 28, said at a press conference held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Listen to the 11-minute press conference, plus a nine-minute breakout session with...

Three new Pacers sat at the table on the dais Friday afternoon, their first day in an official capacity with their new team. The Pacers acquired Thad Young in a draft-day trade with Brooklyn, signed Al Jefferson to a three-year deal in free agency, and then received Jeremy Evans in a trade with Dallas. [More on Jefferson with Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer] In addition to posing for photos...

Pacers President Larry Bird and head coach Nate McMillan spoke with reporters Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. During the 23-minute press conference, the two discussed their offseason moves, the construction of the team, new pieces, and how they feel about the group going into the 2016-17 season.

ORLANDO, Fla. — So far in free agency, the Pacers have agreed to terms with one player, veteran big man Al Jefferson. He cannot make it official by signing this new three-year, $30 million deal until after the NBA moratorium on July 7th. To discuss Jefferson’s game, what he will add to the Pacers, and what kind of person he is, Scott Agness talks with Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer at the...

Fresh off a media blitz earlier in the week with USA Basketball as the 12-man roster was announced, Paul George was back in Indianapolis. The three-time NBA All-Star has about three weeks before he’ll head west to Las Vegas, on July 17, for Training Camp followed by five exhibition games. Then, they’ll travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 2016 Olympic Games (Aug. 6-21). George explained how he...

Georges Niang arrived in Indianapolis on Tuesday, eager to join the Pacers. Before taking part in practice No. 1 with the Summer League team, Niang, who the Pacers selected 50th overall in last week’s draft, addressed the local media.

With the 50th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Pacers selected forward Georges Niang from Iowa State University. He’s a four-year player with a coach-like mentality for the game. On this special episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast, Iowa State University head basketball coach Steve Prohm joins to discuss Prohm’s game and his potential in the best league in the world. “I don’t think he coul...

The Pacers traded away their first pick for Thad Young, and then later Thursday used their only selection in the 2016 NBA Draft to take forward Georges Niang out of Iowa State University with the 50th pick. Once the draft concluded, Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard discussed the draft and the team’s selection of Niang with reporters.

When I first started this podcast last fall, covering all things Pacers, Tambra Brenner was one of several individuals — beyond the coaches and players — at Pacers Sports & Entertainment I thought fans would enjoy hearing from. Brenner is the travel specialist at PS&E. Her primary responsibilities include managing the travel for the 10 scouts or so employed by the team. Most of them typically spen...

It’s been exactly one month since Nate McMillan was promoted to Pacers head coach by President Larry Bird. And he has certainly stayed busy. On this special episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast, Scott Agness sits down with coach McMillan to discuss his first 30 days, observing draft workouts, and organizing his team the way he wants it. From the day he was hired, May 16: Pacers go old-sch...

On this week’s episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast, I’m joined by a familiar name in Central Indiana Sports: Tom Pritchard. Pritchard played basketball at Indiana University from 2008-12. He was not only part of that special game where IU knocked off No. 1 and previously unbeaten Kentucky at Assembly Hall, but he was also one of the original recruits in 2008 who remained committed despit...

Less than one month out from the 2016 NBA Draft, there’s no better time to talk with a longtime NBA scout about the job, sacrifices required, and how one can improve in their player evaluations. Pete Philo has worked for three NBA teams spanning 13 years. Most recently, he was the Pacers Director of International Scouting for almost three years. Prior to that, he worked in the front offices of the...

We have a lot to get to on this week’s episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast. The Pacers’ season is over and President Larry Bird made a coaching change, promoting Nate McMillan to the top chair. The team evaluated over 60 players at the NBA Draft Combine and then they have already conducted two pre-draft workouts. Chris Denari just completed his 10th season as the Television Voice of the...

Nate McMillan, on Frank Vogel’s staff for the last three seasons as associate head coach, was introduced as the Indiana Pacers’ 15th head coach in franchise history at a press conference on Monday afternoon. [Pacers go old school, seek accountability in promoting McMillan to head coach] The press conference with McMillan and President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird lasted nearly 30 minutes. H...

The Pacers — more specifically, Larry Bird — are in search of the 15th coach in franchise history. The coaching search is five-plus days in and there hasn’t been any names tied to the jobs. There are dozens of names of former head coaches that are mentioned with the Pacers, but Bird is diligent in the process and very likely has zeroed in on the next guy he wants to direct the team. [Paul George t...

The Pacers 2015-16 season is complete after a first-round exit to the Toronto Raptors in Game 7. A few days later, Pacers President Larry Bird decided to change head coaches after Frank Vogel led this team for five and half seasons. On this week’s podcast, hear highlights of what Bird said at his 23-minute press conference and I’m joined by Bob Kravitz to break it all down. Kravitz, who has been h...

There’s plenty to talk about now five games into the Pacers’ first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors. On this week’s episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com joins to analyze the series and the Pacers’ big collapse in the fourth quarter of Game 5 that cost them a lead in the series. Mazzeo has been covering the series from the Raptors’ perspective. Duri...

On this week’s episode of the Vigilant Sports Pacers Podcast, Scott Agness covers the Pacers’ first-round series against the Toronto Raptors. As of the recording, the Raptors have a 2-1 lead on the series. Scott talks with Luis Scola about facing his former team and then dives deep into the series with NBA.com’s John Schuhmann. See Also: 2016 NBA Playoffs: Pacers-Raptors Round 1 dates set Subscrib...