Way back in April, the Indiana Pacers sent then-president of basketball operations Larry Bird to the NBA league offices in New York for one goal. Deliver the 2021 NBA All-Star Game bid to commissioner Adam Silver. But he did it in a way that garnered both praise and ridicule alike. He rode a custom Pacers vehicle to the offices and shut down a busy New York City street to add more fanfare around it. Seriously, he brought the Indy 500 to NYC.
Larry Bird takes a spin down 5th Avenue. pic.twitter.com/rEeaBTiwpN
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 24, 2017
Thank you for considering Indy's bid for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, Commissioner Silver! pic.twitter.com/GC5XNVZmpL
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 24, 2017
No matter how you felt about it back then or even now almost eight months later, one thing is for certain. It made an impact. The Indiana Pacers are reportedly going to host the 2021 NBA All-Star game.
Following comes from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The Indiana Pacers will host the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 13, 2017
While the Pacers have experienced highs and lows since announcing their bid for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, no one knows what might happen in about four years. Just in eight months alone, the Pacers went through a myriad of changes. Larry Bird left the organization, their franchise star Paul George was traded away and Victor Oladipo is emerging as the Pacers next star wingman. And to think, this all started with a ride down 7th avenue in a blue and yellow stock car.
