It’s every kid’s dream to check in and hit the court with their favorite NBA athletes. While that scenario is usually left to the imagination, a young Pacers fan became the exception over the weekend, crushing a Pacers preseason scrimmage and scoring like a pro in a video that went by storm. Internet.
The kid, named Jackson, reportedly jokingly asked to be replaced before his wish was suddenly, and to his delight, granted. Credit goes to Jackson for delivering a big basket in such a pressured situation.
Young basketball fan breaks internet after crashing Pacers Scrimmage
Jackson was apparently not related to anyone related to the Pacers. He happened to be sitting nearby and had the courage to ask.
Jackson, a young fan sitting by the white team bench, just jokingly asked if he could check in. So the Pacers let him. And he scored, wearing Buddy Hield’s jersey.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle even ended up personally introducing the young player to the crowd.
Rick Carlisle introduced him to the whole crowd. Guess he’s eligible for a two-way deal.
It was, without a doubt, a moment that will follow this kid for the rest of his life. And if he ever makes it to the league himself, it’ll make for a pretty fascinating origin story.
As for Carlisle and the Pacers, it was really cool of them to give young Jackson that experience. That’s what sports are and they’ve probably secured a lifelong fan. This season, they won’t be competing for anything significant, but there’s hope that Tyrese Haliburton can prove himself as the franchise’s next big thing.
According to Zach Harper of The Athletic, the Pacers see Haliburton as a new version of Reggie Miller in terms of the impact he can have on the team. Miller took them to face Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the 90s, then the Lakers of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000s, and the front office wants to revisit that with Tyrese.
Do they believe Tyrese Haliburton is a franchise fixture or a great role player?
They are absolutely convinced that Haliburton is a cornerstone of the franchise. Whether they’re right or not, it’s too early to tell, but they believe Haliburton, a first passer, will be the kind of player who will help bring other players (free agents) into the fold. They see him as the next Reggie Miller in terms of impact. (Good luck.)
No matter how bad this season is going for Indiana, it’s those types of moments that really create a special experience for the fans and that’s what will keep them loyal season after season.
Who knows, maybe if things get bad enough, the Pacers might end up calling Jackson for another run. He has already shown he has what it takes to get the ball into the net.