Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has found a way to raise money to fight a disease that sticks in his mind by combining it with a sport he likes to play to clear his mind.

Last year, two of Carlisle’s dear friends lost battles with pancreatic cancer. Former Detroit Pistons coach Chuck Daly, whose picture hangs in a plaque behind Carlisle’s desk, died in May. In September Indiana Pacers co-owner Melvin Simon also succumbed to the disease.

So when Mary Jo Jennings, the director of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, called Carlisle about participating in a fund-raising event, Carlisle instantly raised his ping-pong paddle.

Jennings and Carlisle, a table-tennis enthusiast who has a table set up outside of the Mavericks locker room and takes on players such as J.J. Barea – the best player on the team, word has it -- conceived the Purple PingPong celebrity and professional tournament. Purple is the signifying color for pancreatic cancer as pink is the color for breast-cancer awareness.

The event takes place Sunday at SMU's Moody Coliseum from 1-4 p.m.

Carlisle said he wanted to do something different from the typical bowling or golf fundraisers.

"There's a personal attachment I have to it," Carlisle says. "So that's a lot of what my involvement is. And I'm also a table-tennis enthusiast. I was interested in putting together an event that's different and fun, but also helping to support the sport of table tennis. It's an Olympic sport played by over 40 million people around the world.

"And pancreatic cancer is the most under-screened, but most aggressive form of cancer there is."

All proceeds will benefit pancreatic cancer research. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. Ping-pong tables will be set up on the floor of Moody that will include numerous local table-tennis professionals and Olympians taking part in an invitational tournament in the center of the floor.

There will be 16 celebrity teams, some of which remain open to sponsor as part of the fundraiser.

Numerous Mavericks will be there, including Barea, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Caron Butler and others. Former Rangers Jim Kern and Jeff Russell will participate, as will Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast Nastia Luiken and her father, Valeri.

A few other notables will be there as well.

"Nastia called and asked if her friend, Carly Patterson could take part, too," Carlisle said. "I told her, ‘Yeah, and any other Olympic gold-medal winning friends you have are welcome, too."

There will be 16 celebrity teams, some of which are still up for sale as part of the charity endeavor. Carlisle will have paddle in hand.

“He’s been getting better,” Barea said. “He can beat me every once in a while now.” More information is available at pancan.com/pingpong.