Nate Bjorkgren Rumors
The upbeat and positive reinforcement persona — the polar opposite of McMillan — played well during the interview process. One league executive with knowledge of Bjorkgren’s style called it “fake positivity” to IndyStar. Others drew similar conclusions, describing his delivery as awkward at best. As far back as December, in a shortened preseason, another league source with the team had raised red flags about Bjorkgren’s methods, as he coached from an iPad.
IndyStar has talked to multiple league sources who’ve worked with Bjorkgren, including at previous stops, and they shared first-hand experiences that paint a picture similar to what transpired during his one disastrous season in Indiana. The consensus: They were shocked he became an NBA head coach so soon. It wasn’t just his lack of experience, which can be overcome with adequate staff supporting him, but his methods.
Off the court, Bjorkgren wanted players to wear only team-issued sweats on the plane, two league sources with knowledge of the situation said. He also had banned headwear such as do-rags. Another source added that McMillan had his demands, too, such as wearing slacks, a nice shirt and sometimes a jacket.
On the court, it was about analytics to a fault. They governed all of his actions and conclusions. If a player shoots 20% when he dribbles more than twice going left, Bjorkgren expected him to be defended accordingly, regardless of the game’s flow or his players’ basketball intuition.
A league source said Pritchard was so dismayed by the lack of effort and commitment that he saw from his team that he spoke to them before games against San Antonio and Atlanta late in the season. He also was so dismayed two other times that he went into the locker room postgame to scold them for their performances.
If he had been present for the May 3 embarrassment at Washington, when the Pacers gave up 82 points in the first half, he likely would’ve done it a third time. Caris LeVert, a league source with knowledge of the situation told IndyStar, was among those most incredulous about Bjorkgren’s lack of adjustments for the second half of that game. It was far from the only time he’d feel that way.
