Before facing off in the 2025 NBA Finals, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault paid his respects to Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. After Daigneault discussed Sam Presti’s relationship influencing the Thunder, he addressed Carlisle guiding his Pacers to beating the New York Knicks 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Mark has a strong relationship with Indiana’s veteran head coach.

Daigneault revealed his history with Carlisle during his media availability.

“Obviously, I have a lot of respect for him. He’s just got an unbelievable life in basketball,” Daigneault said. “All of the things he’s experienced in his playing career. Then, in his assistant coaching career, in his head coaching career, he’s forgotten more about the game than most of us has seen. So, I have a lot of respect for him. I know him. He’s the president of the coaches’ association. So, he’s got, I think, 29 really good relationships with the coaches.

“And is in constant communication with us. So, I’ve had many interactions with him over the years. He’s been very good to me as I’ve come up here, and I couldn’t have more respect for him,” Daigneault concluded.

The Pacers enter the NBA Finals regarded as one of the better offenses in the league. However, for Daigneault, Carlisle leads an underrated defense, for which the Thunder will have to prepare for.

“The way they defend contributes to their team identity. It’s not just offense,” Daigneault said. “Their defensive philosophy is very much aligned with their offensive philosophy. So, it creates a certain heir to the game when you play against them, that’s difficult to play against. As you can see from the way that they’ve performed, and really run through the Eastern Conference to get here. They’re an incredibly challenging opponent that stays in character in all circumstances.”

Daigneault knows Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle will focus on the Thunder’s flaws, magnifying them on the NBA’s biggest stage.

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Mark Daigneault says Sam Presti's relationship influenced Thunder

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hugs Oklahoma City Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti after their team defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discussed his relationship with Sam Presti over the years, which helped them build a strong bond that led to an unprecedented campaign.

“When I started as the head coach, I already had six years in the organization. So, that’s a six-plus-year relationship that we already had,” Daigneault said. “He knew me very well. I knew him very well. We had seen each other over the course of a long period of time in a lot of different situations. So, there wasn’t a relational feeling out process there.”

The Thunder will host the Pacers in Game 1 on Thursday.