The Indiana Pacers have hired Dr. Jaimie Rubin into a newly-created position of Director of Sport Psychology and Team Wellness,” per an official team announcement.
Upstart Pacers Create Necessary Front Office Role
Rubin comes to the Pacers with an extensive background in sports psychology, helping collegiate and professional athletes alike. For the last five years, she’s been the Assistant Director of Sports Psychology for the MLB’s Minnesota Twins and the Head Sports Psychologist for the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. With such an impressive resume, there’s no doubt that she’s prepared for her latest challenge.
Dr. Rubin spent five years as a Sport Psychologist with Premier Sport Psychology, a private practice located in Minneapolis, MN, where she primarily served as the Assistant Director of Sport Psychology services for the Minnesota Twins and Head Sport Psychologist for the Minnesota Lynx. Dr. Rubin was responsible for developing and directing a multi-disciplinary team of mental health and mental performance providers tasked with designing and delivering integrated and comprehensive sport psychology services to players and staff.
Prior to her time at Premier Sport Psychology, Dr. Rubin worked with student-athletes, teams, coaches, and staff at several Division I, II, and III institutions, including the University of Oklahoma, American International College, and Connecticut College. She also served as a counseling and mental training specialist for cadets at the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) and with the Collegiate Baseball League of Europe.
Throughout her career, Dr. Rubin has spent time providing counseling and performance enhancement services – particularly to athletes throughout the injury and return to play process – in the Sport Injury and Recovery Rehabilitation Center at Springfield College, the Physical Therapy Unit at USCGA, and on the Rehab Team for the Minnesota Twins.
A point guard in high school and college, Rubin suffered multiple injuries throughout her athletic career. In that time, she became familiar with sports psychology by seeing one.
Interestingly, she tells MyHuddle that “it wasn’t the best experience… At the time, it could’ve been that I wasn’t ready. It could’ve not been the best fit.”
“The reason it wasn’t a great fit is part of why I do what I do now and how I do it now… I really want to see the whole person. I really want that person to feel seen, to feel valued, to understands themselves on the field, court, pool, whatever it may be, and off…”
Of note, Dr. Adam Shunk has been the team’s performance psychologist since 2020-21. He came to the Pacers after working with Purdue University, Butler University, Georgia Tech’s student-athletes as a sports psychologist. Shunk is also clinical neuropsychologist and a former athlete himself, having represented Nike as a high jumper.
What It Means For The Pacers
The Pacers’ investment into their player’s mental wellness is commendable. In what’s a highly intense line of work —from the competition to the scrutiny —athletes are under a lot of pressure. This stress can be motivating or debilitating but in either scenario, it can’t be bottled in.
Though silently marching through strain is seen as a type of toughness, it can lead to mental health issues. To that point, a number of current and former NBA players have come out and spoke on the reality of depression. Miami Heat big man Kevin Love, Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, and former Washington Wizards cornerstone John Wall are just a few of the more notable names.
Tyrese Haliburton’s Hamstring
The timing of Indiana hiring a sports psychologist so familiar with helping players navigate through injuries doesn’t seem coincidental.
Pacers face of the franchise Tyrese Haliburton suffered a serious hamstring strain several months ago. It affected his play in the back half of 2023-24. It limited him in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. After the Paris Olympics, it was revealed that he may still be dealing with the nagging injury.
At just 24 years old, this is a lot to deal with. Adding to that is the face that he’s entered a tier of players expected to consistently lead their team to the playoffs. In fact, there was a point last season when he looked like the best player at his position.
That didn’t just come with pressure, but prestige and popularity. Unfortunately, it was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it feels good to be praised and admired. On the other hand, when or if Haliburton doesn’t deliver, he might face a wave of harsh criticism. He may even get down on himself.
That’s when a person like Rubin matters the most. If Haliburton re-aggravates his hamstring next season, or even if he sustains another injury, she’ll be right there.
