Indiana Basketball Booms With Pacers and Caitlin Clark/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Indianapolis is experiencing a basketball boom as the Pacers return to the NBA Finals and Caitlin Clark electrifies the WNBA with the Fever. The city’s deep hoops heritage has reached a new high, drawing fans to both men’s and women’s games. Game 3 of the NBA Finals and Clark’s potential return highlight a historic week for Indiana basketball.
Indiana Basketball Revival Quick Looks
- Pacers are back in NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years
- Caitlin Clark’s rise with the Indiana Fever boosts WNBA spotlight
- Fever and Pacers are both owned by Herb Simon
- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praises Indiana as basketball’s heartland
- Clark’s injury impacted WNBA viewership, now down 55% nationally
- Caitlinmania and Pacersmania energize local fanbase and media
- Rick Carlisle: “This is Indiana — not just basketball”
- St. Elmo Steak House and local bars buzzing with hoops talk
- Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton calls Clark “amazing” and a league driver
- Indianapolis to host the WNBA All-Star Game this summer
Deep Look: Indiana’s Basketball Boom Fueled by Pacers and Caitlin Clark
INDIANAPOLIS — In Indiana, it’s never “just basketball.” But even by Hoosier standards, 2025 has become a golden era for the sport, especially in the state capital. With the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals and Caitlin Clark powering the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, Indianapolis is pulsing with basketball fervor.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle recently echoed the state’s legendary motto:
“In 49 other states, it’s just basketball. But this is Indiana.”
Pacers Back on the Biggest Stage
For the first time in 25 years, the NBA Finals have returned to Indiana. Game 3 tips off Wednesday as the Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder with the series tied 1-1. The return of high-stakes basketball to Gainbridge Fieldhouse is energizing a fanbase that has long supported its team through highs and lows.
Carlisle, now in his third stint with the franchise, acknowledges the city’s basketball roots run deep:
“The level of interest is high. We’ve always had great fans here.”
Around Indianapolis, excitement is everywhere — from “Yes, ‘Cers” signs across downtown to conversations about playoff scenarios in the famed St. Elmo Steak House.
Caitlin Clark: Queen of the Court
Simultaneously, Caitlin Clark has turned the Fever into must-watch basketball. The rookie phenom and former NCAA star has become the face of the WNBA, raising attendance and viewership for the league like no one before her.
Clark’s recent injury — a quadriceps issue — has significantly impacted TV ratings, with national WNBA viewership down 55% since she was sidelined. But fans are hopeful she’ll return this Saturday when the Fever face the defending champion New York Liberty, making this one of the biggest basketball weekends in Indianapolis history.
Clark’s viral courtside celebration during the Pacers’ Eastern Conference-clinching win symbolized her bond with the city and its teams. Fever games now routinely draw double the attendance of non-Fever WNBA matchups.
A Shared Basketball Culture
Both the Fever and Pacers are owned by Herb Simon, the NBA’s longest-tenured team owner, now 90 years old. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praised Simon’s vision and long-standing commitment to Indiana basketball:
“The cherry on top is the WNBA All-Star Game coming this summer,” Silver said. “The heartland of basketball is thriving.”
That “cherry on top” might just be a championship parade, or a roaring return for Clark in front of a sold-out crowd. Either way, Indianapolis is the basketball capital of 2025.
A Legacy State Reborn
Indiana’s basketball legacy includes legends like Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Knight’s undefeated 1975-76 Hoosiers. It inspired the movie Hoosiers and cheered Reggie Miller throughout a Hall of Fame career. Today, it’s Tyrese Haliburton and Caitlin Clark writing new chapters.
Even NFL Sundays in Indiana pause to recognize hoops — but now, the NBA and WNBA dominate headlines.
Voices from the Game
“Caitlin is amazing… the Fever are like rock stars. They’re growing that league.”
Aaron Nesmith, Pacers forward:
“I can’t wait to see how loud this place gets. It’s going to be special.”
Joe Kmiech, former Army vet and Pacers fan:
“I didn’t vote for Trump, but the commander in chief is part of that celebration. The distinction is this is about our Army — not one person.”
Basketball never left Indiana. But now it’s at its highest elevation in decades.
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