All-Star Game

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NEW YORK -- With Indiana Pacers President of Basketball Larry Bird at the wheel of a specially themed IndyCar, Pacers Sports & Entertainment today officially delivered its bid for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game to NBA Headquarters in midtown Manhattan.

Bird piloted the IndyCar down five blocks of Fifth Avenue and handed off the bid documents to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the league offices.

"I'm proud and honored to make this special delivery on behalf of our owner, Herb Simon, the city of Indianapolis, the state of Indiana, Pacers Sports & Entertainment and our other bid partners," said Bird. "We know that competition for the All-Star Game is highly competitive, but we are hopeful that this demonstrates how Indianapolis routinely and uniquely sets itself apart when it comes to hosting major sporting events."

Because of the competitive nature of the bid process, the bid partners cannot disclose specifics with regard to the bid or which venues will be used for the various events, including the game.

"If we are so fortunate to be successful, we will then be able to share many of the particular elements of our bid to stage the NBA All-Star Game and Weekend and its many ancillary events," said PS&E President and COO Rick Fuson. "The economic impact and national and international exposure for Indianapolis and Indiana will result in a significant return, estimated to be well in excess of $100 million."

Fuson said that the NBA All-Star effort will be privately and publicly funded and that Pacers owner Herb Simon already has committed to making a significant contribution.

Fuson also said the bid will include local and statewide outreach and a legacy project. Bid planners hope to integrate the NBA All-Star Weekend with the Indiana High School Athletic Association Girls and Boys Championships, the 2021 Big Ten Women's Tournament and the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Final Four for a "celebration of basketball" that would last from mid-February through the first weekend in April.

"We believe we can make Indiana the undisputed basketball capital of the world during that time," Fuson said. The Indiana Sports Corporation, Visit Indy, the City of Indianapolis and the State of Indiana are assisting PS&E in the bid. The NBA is expected to select the host city sometime later this year.

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Pacers' Larry Bird Makes Special 2021 All-Star Bid Delivery

Eddie White

All the eyes of the basketball world will be on Madison Square Garden this weekend as the NBA brings its All-Star Game and all the activities involved to the Big Apple!

The last time the NBA held its annual gathering of superstars in the New York metropolitan area, it was 1998. The extravaganza had more than a few story lines and one had a Hoosier flavor.

The coach of the East team was none other than Larry Bird, representing the Pacers, and two of his players were his own Indiana stars, Reggie Miller and Rik Smits.

The game also featured a “passing of the torch” story line as the East squad included Michael Jordan, playing in his LAST All-Star game as a Chicago Bull vs. a brash, 19-year-old phenom from the Lakers named Kobe Bryant, playing in his FIRST All-Star game as the league’s youngest All-Star ever!

Of note, Bryant’s teammate on George Karl’s West team was some guy also playing in his FIRST All-Star game, named Tim Duncan. Duncan, of course, was in Bankers Life Fieldhouse this past Tuesday playing for San Antonio!

Media had proclaimed Bryant as “the new Jordan”. So, on Broadway, in the famous Garden, you had a Show of Shows -- the REAL Michael Jordan in swan-song form vs. the new upstart.

Jordan had the flu but Bird, who admires grit, hard work and determination more than anyone, wanted MJ to go out in style. He wanted his team to make sure MJ went out the right way.

And, boy did that East squad listen to Larry Legend. The East whacked the West 135-114, and guess who was the MVP? No. 23. Michael Jordan. Jordan DOES NOT get that MVP if not for Larry Bird.

Bird wanted one of the game’s greats to shine. Let the new kid earn it down the road, for this was MJ’s night on Broadway. Jordan led all scorers in the game with, believe it or not, 23 points. He added six rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Reggie Miller contributed 14 points and Smits added 10 points and seven rebounds in the winning cause. Bryant, who faced as much individual defensive pressure on every possession as any player in All-Star history, finished with 18.

It is quite awesome when the greats of the game love the game so much and respect the game so much that you get special moments like that evening in New York City!!!

I would love to tell you I saw ALL four quarters of action that night. But I’d be lying. I saw most of the game. You see, at the time, I was VP of Team Properties for official NBA on-court supplier, Reebok, and I attended the game with my boss, Tom Shine, and the great Hall of Fame broadcaster Lesley Visser. Midway through the third quarter Visser gets a call from the late legendary coach, Rick Majerus.  Rick was at his favorite Italian restaurant in Little Italy and he does NOT want to eat alone.  He will, of course, but he does not want to.

Beginning of the fourth quarter, we head out. We end up trading NBA All-Star hoops madness and the not-so “passing of the torch” for some Ravioli, Linguini and Mostaccioli. The game we left had had an Indiana flavor and I would love to tell you our wine was from the Heartland. But not this night — it was vintage Chianti from Italy. It was a classic.

Vintage. Classic. Sort of the like that No. 23 back at the Garden!

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Last All-Star Game in Big Apple Had Pacers Flavor

Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal was selected to the third team for the second season in a row. O'Neal averaged 20.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.31 blocked shots. Only one other Pacers player has made an all-NBA team, Reggie Miller (third team in 1995, '96 and '98).

In addition to the Pacers' O'Neal, the All-NBA Third Team includes New Orleans Hornets’ forward Jamal Mashburn, Boston Celtics’ forward Paul Pierce, Phoenix Suns’ guard Stephon Marbury and Dallas Mavericks’ guard Steve Nash.

The 122-member voting panel of writers and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada consisted of national media members and members from each of the league’s 29 teams who regularly cover the NBA. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.

All‑Star Game

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