INDIANAPOLIS — On every Pacers basketball game night, the sidelines are bound to be full of flashy kicks and the latest sneakers — but this week, there's some extra meaning behind them.
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is joining others across the league supporting Autism Acceptance Month by wearing custom Air Force 1's.
The special kicks feature a colorful infinity symbol with the words "Inclusion" and "To The Max."
From April 2-7, head coaches will sport the sneakers to help spread awareness and funds for autism resources and services. After the initiative, the coaches will sign their shoes and auction them off and donate the money to the To The Max Foundation.
The foundation was started by the Utah Jazz head coach who had a four-year-old son diagnosed with autism in 2022. Scott Morrison is the inspiration behind the NBA head coach sneaker movement.
According to the CDC, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States today.