Following Bennedict Mathurin’s revenge game against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday evening, his former head coach, Rick Carlisle, praised his ability to consistently score the rock. He evidently knows the youngster best, which makes his words reassuring. But something sounds off: Carlisle never cracked the code to maximize Mathurin, which wasn't rocket science. So why, all of a sudden, does he feel this way? If anything, Carlisle should be one of the last people siding with Mathurin.
Rick Carlisle on Benn Mathurin:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) March 5, 2026
"He's an NBA scorer how many times do I need to say it? He came out of the womb with 20 points. That's a compliment. That's how easily he scores. They've got another Kawhi Leonard type scorer. It's a great 1-2 punch for them" pic.twitter.com/U5IgoAwQgd
Carlisle was asked about his opinion on the rising star after losing by double-digits, and had Mathurin record a stat line of 23 points in 22 minutes on the Pacers, shooting 8-11 from the field with a game-high +/- of +32.
Carlisle is certainly right in his statement and in his comparison to Kawhi Leonard, but it’s well known that his coaching style was a major reason Mathurin was held back early in his career.
Rick Carlisle never put Bennedict Mathurin in a position to be unleashed
Bennedict Mathurin’s former teammates, claiming he was born to score 20 points, or anyone on the LA Clippers following what they’ve been first-hand witnesses to, makes perfect sense. However, Rick Carlisle of all people? No, the math isn’t adding up.
Carlisle should take a trip down memory lane to the NBA Finals, which he surely remembers as the Indiana Pacers lost in a suspenseful fashion, when he had the perfect opportunity to let the world know he knew how to effectively use Mathurin.
What gameplan does Carlisle execute? He played Mathurin just 20.4 minutes across seven games, and did not have sets in place to make the most of his bounce, mid-range, or defense.
Even during the 2024-25 regular season, Mathurin proved himself as a starter on too many occasions to count, yet never received that level of treatment. His playing time should have consistently been in the mid-30s, and Carlisle is the biggest reason it wasn't.
So, for him to get on the podium at a post-game press conference and shower Mathurin with flowers, being a walking bucket when he was never utilized appropriately, seems a bit out of the ordinary.
Who knows? Maybe Carlisle realized where he went wrong after seeing Mathurin pop off directly after the trade, and thought to himself, “I really had him and made his circumstances more complicated than they needed to be.”
Move forward, one thing’s for sure: Tyronn Lue won’t mess up as badly as he did.