Just ahead of tipoff on Wednesday night, former Pacers All-Star Roy Hibbert found himself in a familiar position — on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. But this time, instead of preparing for a jump ball at the center circle, Hibbert was instead on the northwest corner of the court, cramming his 7-foot-2-inch frame into an Indy car to "rev up" the crowd, continuing a pregame tradition the franchise started last season.
Hibbert received a loud ovation from the Pacers faithful when he was introduced on the video board, then implored them to get even louder as he helped rev the engine.
It was the climax to what was a meaningful day for Hibbert, who returned to Indianapolis for the first time since his playing days. He last remembered being in the Fieldhouse as a member of the Lakers in 2016. He was on Denver's roster for a game in Indianapolis the next year in 2017, but retired after that season, meaning it had been either six or seven years since he last visited the city he called home for seven of his nine seasons in the NBA.
"I was getting emotional on the plane a little bit," Hibbert said. "Just seeing the city I used to fly into all the time and the blood, sweat, and tears...I spent a lot of time in this city and it's nice to be back."
Hibbert flew into Indianapolis on Wednesday and arrived at the team facility in the early afternoon. He toured the Ascension St. Vincent Center, the team's state-of-the-art practice facility that opened in 2017. As a former All-Star, Hibbert's name is highlighted on the new alumni wall on the south end of the practice court.
Hibbert met with general manager Chad Buchanan and assistant GM Kelly Krauskopf as well as other staffers that were with the team during his playing days. He even caught up with former teammate Shayne Whittington, who was a rookie on the 2014-15 team in Hibbert's last season in Indiana. Whittington is now back in Indiana as a member of the support staff.
After an All-American career at Georgetown, Hibbert was the 17th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and acquired by the Pacers in a draft night trade that sent six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto. He quickly moved into the starting center position vacated by O'Neal and manned the paint for the next seven seasons.
While the Pacers were rebuilding early in Hibbert's career, they saw great success as Hibbert came into his own. Under the tutelage of head coach Frank Vogel, Hibbert mastered the art of verticality and became one of the most imposing defensive presences in the league. He was an All-Star in both 2012 and 2014 and helped lead the Blue & Gold to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014.
In May, Hibbert joined Pacers sideline reporters Pat Boylan and Jeremiah Johnson on The Sideline Guys Podcast powered by Gainbridge to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his block on Carmelo Anthony that helped seal a playoff win over the Knicks that sent Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013.
During his time in Indiana, Hibbert established a special connection with the fans. He started the first fan zone at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Area 55 — and would hold auditions each year where he would personally pick the most passionate fans to sit in his section. The fan zones have lived on, with current Pacers center Myles Turner now sponsoring a section branded as Turner's Block powered by Starry.
"The Indiana crowd, once you work hard, they respect you," Hibbert said of his bond with the fans. "They'll come out there and they'll ride or die with you...It's a working city. You put in the work, they appreciate it."
Hibbert said that his best memory from his time with the Pacers was actually after the team lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals. The morning after the season ended, Hibbert and teammates George Hill and Ian Mahinmi went to a local restaurant for brunch.
"We literally walked in and everybody stood up and just started clapping," Hibbert said. "It was a surreal moment. Even though we lost, the city embraced us. As much as the wins or the Carmelo block or the All-Stars, having that feeling was pretty nice."
Since retiring, Hibbert had a brief stint in coaching with the Philadelphia 76ers, but ultimately determined it wasn't for him. He worked as a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports last year and found it much more fulfilling. He is signed on to continue in the same role for the upcoming season.
Hibbert currently lives in Maryland with his wife and four children. They welcomed their newest child in the spring, so Hibbert joked that he spends most of his free time on diaper duty.
He has started following the Pacers closely again in recent years, describing himself as "a Pacer at heart." He expressed a lot of excitement for this year's team, which he hopes can return to the playoffs.
"I'm always going to be a Pacer no matter what and I'll always root for them," Hibbert said. "Everybody I talked to (on the staff) said the guys are hungry, they work hard. They don't skip steps, they don't miss reps, they want to learn. They have a good group of young guys that are hungry. Hopefully they can build off of that."
Hibbert was headed back home on Thursday, but he found another way to throw his support behind the Blue & Gold. After ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted out news of head coach Rick Carlisle signing a contract extension, Hibbert replied to the tweet, "This is the team to get it done. Great coach and a bunch of young hungry players ready to sacrifice and win together."
Could we see Hibbert back in Indianapolis for the playoffs? He certainly would feel right at home.