As another year comes to a close, it’s always fun to look back at the major storylines from the last 12 months in the world of sports. In the year 2023 alone, we saw the following: Rule changes in Major League Baseball, and the Texas Rangers’ first World Series Title, Lionel Messi joined an MLS team in Miami, LeBron James became the all-time leading scorer in NBA History, a 16-seed took down a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time ever, Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in history, Shohei Ohtani signed for a record deal of 700 million dollars, and ratings for Women’s sports continued to rise.
And now, I’ll take a look at the two main teams I cover: The Indiana Hoosiers and Indiana Pacers. Here were the biggest storylines for these two teams in the year 2023:
Indiana Hoosiers
3. The Hoosiers were relevant again in 2023- Indiana spent some time in the rankings. They beat Purdue twice and other highly ranked opponents. And they made the NCAA Tournament without having to play in Dayton, while winning one game in the Tourney.
2. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood-Schifino were both selected in the NBA Draft. The legend TJD put together an incredible career at Indiana and left his mark on the program. He wasn’t drafted until the 57th pick in the Draft, and just as he posted on draft night, many teams are probably regretting passing on Jackson-Davis. Jalen Hood-Schifino would have been a perfect solution to IU’s issues this season, but being a one-and-done player also helps out the program long-term. It shows other 5-star recruits that Indiana can develop you and send you to the League.
1. The passing of legendary coach Bob Knight- To many people, Coach Knight WAS Indiana basketball. Though the Hoosiers had some success before his time, it was Bob Knight that really brought the tradition, hard work, and success to the state of Indiana. Though there’s some controversy surrounding some of his life and career, there’s no questioning what Coach Knight meant to the majority of his players, the fans, the university, and the mark he left on Indiana basketball.
Indiana Pacers
3. The year of the 3-ball- The Pacers set a record for most 3’s in their franchise’s history in the 2022-2023 season. Buddy Hield also set the single-season franchise record for 3’s, passing the legendary Reggie Miller. It didn’t lead the Pacers to the playoffs, but it did bring some excitement back to Indiana.
2. The Pacers finish second in the In-Season-Tournament- This tourney isn’t a huge deal to a lot of people, and it’s clearly not as important as the real playoffs. However, this tournament was important for the franchise. It put them back on the map. It gave them three nationally televised games, and it let the whole world see how good Tyrese Haliburton truly is. Finishing second out of 30 teams will help the franchise moving forward, with experience and exposure.
1. Tyrese Haliburton’s rise to super-stardom- Last year, Haliburton became an All-Star for the first time. This season, he’s taking things to a whole new level. He’s putting up historic numbers for a historic offense. Pacer fans can also relax and rejoice, because Haliburton signed an extension through the 2029 season. He’s here to stay, and he has a chance to go down as the best NBA Pacer in history if he stays healthy. In 2024, it’s time to get Haliburton some help.
Tyler Smith covers the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Hoosiers for IndySportsLegends and is a frequent contributor to the Journal Review. He is also the youth and sports pastor at New Hope Christian Church.
