According to NBA league sources and ESPN, the Indiana Pacers have been selected to host the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN’s Senior NBA Analyst, announced the news in a tweet:
The Indiana Pacers will host the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 13, 2017
While details remain unconfirmed, the Pacers have communicated a “major event announcement” will take place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse today, December 13, at 4 p.m. involving the NBA, team, and local officials, including NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Pacers Sports & Entertainment Owner Herbert Simon, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard, and PS&E President and COO Rick Fuson.
This will mark the second time the city of Indianapolis has hosted the NBA’s premier exhibition game featuring the league’s best players. In 1985, the Hoosier Dome played host to the game that witnessed the West defeating the East 140–129 in a match-up that featured NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan, among others.
Worldwide Attention Coming Soon
In hosting the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, Indianapolis has added one more sporting event that will capture worldwide attention in a 13-month span beginning in February 2021. As previously reported by IM, the city will host:
- 2021 NBA All-Star Game
- 2021 Men’s College Basketball Final Four
- 2021 Indianapolis 500
- 2021 Big Ten College Football Championship
- 2022 College Football Playoff Championship
- 2022 Men’s College Basketball Big Ten Tournament
