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Behind the CoachingHonoring the Impact of Sports Coaching
Coach Profile

Slick Leonard

Slick Leonard

Three-Time ABA Champion | Indiana Pacers Hall of Fame Coach | 186 NBA Coaching Wins

William Robert “Slick” Leonard was born on July 17, 1932, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He won the 1953 NCAA championship as a player at Indiana University and later played in the NBA before entering professional coaching.

Leonard began his NBA head-coaching career with the Chicago Zephyrs, which relocated to Baltimore in 1963. His signature work came later with the Indiana Pacers of the ABA, where he won the 1970, 1972 and 1973 championships.

When Indiana joined the NBA in 1976, Leonard remained head coach for four seasons. His NBA-only record across the Zephyrs/Bullets and Pacers was 186-264; the 387 ABA regular-season victories are separate.

He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2014 and died on April 13, 2021, at the age of 88.

  • Overall Coaching Record: 186-264 (NBA only; ABA record excluded)

Coaching Career

Leonard took charge of the Zephyrs in December 1962, succeeding Jack McMahon with the 1962-1963 season underway.

Chicago went 13-29 in 42 games under Leonard; the franchise finished the season 25-55. This first coaching assignment preceded the team’s relocation to Baltimore.

He continued with the same franchise the following season under its new Bullets name.

Notable Players Coached

Leonard coached the relocated franchise for its first Baltimore season, with the Bullets recording a 31-49 mark in 1963-1964.

He stepped away from the NBA role in 1964. Across Chicago and Baltimore, he finished this first NBA stretch with 44 wins and 78 losses.

Notable Players Coached

Leonard had coached the Pacers in the ABA since 1968, winning three league titles. When the ABA-NBA merger brought Indiana into the NBA for 1976-1977, he remained on the sideline.

The Pacers finished 36-46 in 1976-1977, 31-51 in 1977-1978, 38-44 in 1978-1979 and 37-45 in 1979-1980. They missed the playoffs in all four NBA seasons under Leonard.

His Indiana NBA coaching record was 142-186 in 328 games. Combined with his earlier Zephyrs/Bullets tenure, his complete NBA mark was 186-264. His three ABA championships and 387 ABA regular-season wins are not included in that NBA total.

Notable Players Coached

  • Billy Knight
    • NBA All-Star in the Pacers’ first NBA season
  • Don Buse
    • 1977 NBA assists leader and All-Defensive First Team guard
  • Dan Roundfield
    • Three-time NBA All-Star later in his career
  • Freddie Lewis
    • ABA championship guard who played in Indiana’s first NBA season