1-on-1 with Kelly Krauskopf: On the Pacers' special connectivity that's fueled their NBA Finals run
The former Pacers assistant GM — now back running the Indiana Fever — reflects on her role in shaping this Finals roster, the team’s unselfish DNA, and why she’s proudly watching it all unfold.
OKLAHOMA CITY — For the past six years, Kelly Krauskopf had a courtside seat to Indiana Pacers practices and games. She saw this group up close because she was part of it, playing a key role in a front office that helped turn the franchise around.
In Dec. 2018, team president Kevin Pritchard hired Krauskopf to be assistant general manager — and together with GM Chad Buchanan and Executive VP Ted Wu, they retooled the roster, brought in a strong, established voice in Rick Carlisle, and now they’re in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.
They’re still after the organization’s elusive first NBA championship after being the dominant ABA franchise.
“There’s no black or white answers (in the NBA), it’s all gray areas,” Pritchard said then. “I wanted her to look at building a high-level winning team but also, in a big way, implementing championship culture.”
Krauskopf is a deep thinker. She knows what traits to target, how to build a championship roster, and how to make sure a team comes together.
But then last September, after much convincing from Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines, Krauskopf agreed to return to the Indiana Fever — the WNBA franchise that she guided to so much success.
She’s the original architect.
So while the Pacers are experiencing great success, she’s helping the Fever maximize this special moment in time with the most-followed women’s player: Caitlin Clark. Sellout crowds, merchandise lines around the block, 41 of 44 games on national TV, and another 14 televised locally. Plus, construction is underway on a new $78 million state-of-the-art practice facility.
They are all-in — as they should be.
Krauskopf has been following the Pacers’ run to the Finals closely. She was in Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their Game 6 win over the New York Knicks to advance.
“Thrilled,” she told Fieldhouse Files. “I think the feeling in the building was unanimous. It was just sort of like,