Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has a gruff exterior that could intimidate anybody. Carlisle is all business on game days and rarely smiles on the sidelines. However, he showed another side to his personality in a pre-game talk with point guard TJ McConnell prior to their game against the Washington Wizards.

Rick Carlisle almost broke down in tears after he told TJ McConnell he didn't include him in the Pacers' nine-man rotation, per the Indianapolis Star's Dustin Dopirak.

“I had one of the most difficult conversations I've ever had with a player about the situation and the minutes. It was T.J. I was almost in tears talking to him about it. One of the reasons was he was so great. He was just him,” Rick Carlisle said.

“He said, ‘Hey, listen, I'm disappointed…I'll be professional, you know that. I'll do everything I can to set an example.' But this is one of the great competitors in the history of this franchise,” Carlisle added.

“There certainly are going to be opportunities for him to play, but heading into this game the minutes didn't shake out well for him. So we talked about it, and that was tough,” Rick Carlisle concluded.

Rick Carlisle's Pacers routed the Wizards on opening night 

TJ McConnell checked into the game with just six minutes remaining. He received a rousing ovation from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. McConnell finished with six points and two assists. One of his field goals was a short jumper from the right corner that hit the top of the backboard before trickling into the basket. McConnell pointed at the sky after the shot.

Behind Bruce Brown's 24 points and six triples, the Pacers routed the Wizards 143-120 on opening night. The Pacers signed Rick Carlisle to a multi-year contract extension on Thursday. It's a sign the front office has faith in Carlisle leading this up-and-coming group moving forward.