To say that I'm a lifelong Indiana Pacers fan would be almost a literal statement. The Indiana Pacers began in Indy in 1967, when I was only 2-years-old. While I'm fairly certain my life at that point was distracted by surviving spina bifida, the truth is I've been an Indiana Pacers fan since those early days when the Pacers started out in the former American Basketball Association.
The Pacers were part of the ABA from 1967-1976. It was the days of George McGinnis, Billy Keller, Darnell Hillman, and countless others who remain icons in Indy including longtime coach Bob "Slick" Leonard.
When the ABA folded and multiple teams went under the NBA umbrella, the Pacers were one of them. These days, of course, they play out of Bankers Life Fieldhouse and the Indiana Fever, our WNBA team, are included under the Pacers Sports and Entertainment umbrella and under the ownership of Herb Simon.
Under the ownership of the Simons, the Pacers have become a stable fixture of Indy. At one point, it appeared they might be bought by out-of-towners. That's a scary prospect in a mid-level market city as the risk of relocation is always there.
The Pacer colors are Navy Blue, Gold, and Cool Gray. The new and current coach is Nate Bjorkgren and Kevin Pritchard is our GM.
The Indiana Pacers won 3 ABA championships; they've yet to win an NBA championship. They won an NBA conference title in 2000. They've won 9 total division titles - 3 in the ABA, 6 in the NBA with the most recent being in 2014.
They've retired 5 numbers - 30 (George McGinnis), 31 (Reggie Miller), 34 (Mel Daniels), 35 (Roger Brown), and 529 (Coach Bobby Leonard).
The Indiana Pacers have certainly had their occasional controversies, but they've long been a beloved symbol of Indiana's love of basketball. It's a love I grew up - I was a Junior Pacer as a young kid and received an award from Larry Bird himself for community service as an adult.
The Indiana Pacers has eight former players and three former coaches who are members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
A few fun facts - Reggie Miller continues to hold the franchise record for point scored (25,279), minutes played (47,619), assists (4,141), steals (1,505), and most 3-pointers made (2,560).
If I had to pick an all-time favorite player, it would likely be Billy Keller. Reggie Miller is an undeniable fave whose kindness was well known including donating items for a charity auction I did for my Tenderness Tour.
The Pacers organization has long worked to balance fiscal responsibility with a strong sense of community. It has left a solid imprint on Indy through a variety of charitable endeavors and generally has long been recognized as a quality organization. While some players certainly leave in search of bigger fame, paychecks, or spotlights, we've had some remarkable loyalty over the years (including Reggie Miller's entire career - along with that of Tamika Catchings for the Fever).
I can't imagine a day when I won't be madly passionate about my Indiana Pacers. Like any fan, I haven't agreed with every decision or situation but watching the Pacers over the years has probably been my greatest sports joy along with Mario Andretti in auto racing.
The Indiana Pacers continue to play as part of the NBA's Eastern Conference. read more