The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, famously, is not the NBA Hall of Fame. Rather, it celebrates players, people, coaches, and broadcasters who have impacted the game on all levels. This year’s class will be headlined by Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, and Seimone Augustus, as well as others, but the Indiana Pacers owner, Herb Simon, is the closest indictee to home. Simon has owned the Pacers for 41 years and has been a mainstay of Indianapolis for even longer.
He is 89 years old, and with the induction, his place in basketball history can’t be questioned. Rick Carlisle, who has spent eight seasons as the Pacers’ head coach during two stints, had only the highest praise for Simon before his enshrinement.
“He’s one of the most special people I’ve ever come across in my life,” said Carlisle. “And really, he’s such a humble person that I know he feels like he doesn’t deserve this, but he really does, because of the longevity, because of the history of everything that he and the franchise have stood for. But also the fact that he’s the longest-tenured governor in NBA history. That’s a phenomenal distinction.”
Simon is 89 years old, but still brings energy and passion to the Pacers and Fever, which he also owns.
Although he has never seen his Pacers win the NBA Finals, the team is on the rise, as are the Fever, led by rookie phenom Caitlin Clark. In 2012, he helped guide the Fever to their only WNBA title, although it’s safe to say that Indianapolis is a hotbed for professional basketball.
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