Indiana Fever’s NaLyssa Smith helps in dangerous I-65 auto accident
Indiana Fever Forward NaLyssa Smith was both helpful and fortunate as she and her mother were on i-65 in Indianapolis on Tuesday evening when a truck was driving the wrong was for a 12-mile stretch. INDOT cameras caught the action as a pick-up truck was wreaking havoc for motorists driving at a high speed in the opposing median, sending sparks into the air the entire time. The truck eventually slammed into a vehicle causing it to tumble down an embankment. The truck kept going until it crashed into a guardrail with the right in front of the Smiths, who were not injured in the incident. NaLyssa and her mother jumped out to lend help to the driver that miraculously was not hurt.
Police believe a medical issue is to blame for the incident and no charges are expected to be filed. Thankfully, there are no reports of serious injury.
NBA All Star Saturday Night to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 17, 2024
The NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee announced Wednesday that State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium. The events will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17. as many of the league’s brightest stars to showcase their skills in AT&T Slam Dunk, the Starry 3-Point Contest, and the Kia Skills Challenge. The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will be held on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
According to the host committee says 10,500 tickets will go on sale to people in Indiana first on July 24 for $24, $49, and $79. The event will be set up at the south end of Lucas Oil Stadium, with approximately 35,000 seats surrounding the court. If estimates for recent NBA All-Star host cities hold true, Indianapolis could see a quarter-billion-dollar benefit from hosting the best basketball players on the planet. The Indiana Pacers report the NBA determined the economic impact of taking its All-Star game to Salt Lake City this year was $280 million, $30 million more than the boost Cleveland experienced as host of the 2022 game.
Indianapolis’ bid to host the 2021 NBA All-Star Game was sidelined by the COVID pandemic. The Pacers are continuing to analyze the data to measure the potential economic impact of the game for Indianapolis. 2024 will find the city hosting not only NBA All-Stars but also the first two rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Indy 500 and the USA Olympic Swimming trials. There’ll also be concerts and other events. The Host Committee also announced that Hoosiers will get the first crack at lower-priced tickets for the game. The Host Committee will also make 2400 tickets available free to community groups. IndyGo bus rides will be free throughout the All-Star weekend with extended nightly service. Buses will offer extended service, ensuring that riders will have easy transportation home following downtown events. The Pacers Bike Share, operated by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, will also be free during the four-day events.
Purdue to face Alabama in 2023 Basketball HOF Toronto
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced that Purdue will play Alabama in a doubleheader in Toronto, on Dec. 9, at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The highly-anticipated event marks the first Hall of Fame event in Toronto since 2019. The Boilermakers and Crimson Tide will be joined by TCU and Clemson in a game north of the border in Canada. Times and television designations will be announced at a later date.
This marks the third released game of Purdue’s non-conference schedule after it was announced that Purdue would play Xavier in the Gavitt Games on Nov. 13, and face Arizona in the Indy Classic on Dec. 16, in Indianapolis. The Boilermakers will also compete in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (Kansas, Purdue, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Marquette, UCLA, Syracuse, Chaminade).
Purdue’s schedule after its opening two games of the season are Xavier (Nov. 13), Maui Invitational (Nov. 20-22), unannounced non-conference game, two Big Ten games (first week of December), Alabama (Dec. 9, in Toronto) and Arizona (Dec. 16, in Indianapolis), setting the stage for maybe the most-difficult schedule in the country. The final five non-conference games, as well as the Maui schedule, will be announced when they become available.
Alabama and Purdue earned two of the four No. 1 seeds a year ago and combined to spend 28 weeks in the AP Top 5 and nine of the 19 weeks in the top spot (Purdue 7, Alabama 2). Purdue, Alabama and Marquette (a possible Maui opponent) are the only power-conference teams to win both the regular-season and tournament titles a year ago. Alabama expects to be ranked near the top 10 of the early-season AP Top 25 polls after posting a 31-6 record while winning the SEC regular-season and tournament championships. The Crimson Tide lost standouts Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako to the NBA Draft, and Jaden Bradley to Arizona, but welcome in a strong transfer class.
Indiana Pacers deal Two Draft Picks to the Denver Nuggets ahead of Tonight’s NBA Draft
The Indiana Pacers have agreed to trade the No. 29 and No. 32 overall picks in the 2023 NBA Draft to the Denver Nuggets for the No. 40 overall pick as well as a first-round pick in 2024, per an ESPN report. The Pacers also have the No. 7 overall pick in the draft lottery, the No. 26 pick later in the first round, and the No. 55 pick late in the second round this year. The report claims the Blue and Gold remain active in trade talks as the draft approaches. As the Pacers enter the 2023 draft, they do so with more confidence in their roster than most other teams would have following a 35-win season. But if you’re setting expectations for this draft, maybe don’t set them in stone. Still with multiple picks in both the first and second rounds, the Pacers have plenty of opportunities before them. And since NBA teams, including the Pacers are hosting prospects as little as two or three days before the draft, those opportunities won’t be solidified until draft night. So we all await that call, when the Pacers are on the clock tonight.
Are you looking to improve your pickleball game? Look no further than Pickleball 101!
Pickleball 101 for beginners. Bloomington PB teaching legend Steve Jackson leads this beginners class. By the end you will feel comfortable playing on our “no stress” novice courts. Free, or $10 for non members. This event is perfect for players who want to learn the basic skills. Whether you’ve only played a few times or are new to the sport, our expert instructors will teach you how to do things right.
June 22, 2023 from 5:30-6:30pm at RCA Park in Bloomington. REGISTER HERE
WWE is coming to Indianapolis in October
WWE Fastlane is coming to Indianapolis. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, former SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee shared the news that WWE Fastlane will be held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 7. Paul Heyman, the Special Counsel to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, commented on the news by noting that WWE brings relevancy to Indianapolis, and Indianapolis brings relevancy to WWE. In a press release, WWE confirmed the news and confirmed that Fastlane will stream on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network Elsewhere. Tickets will go on sale Friday, July 14 at 10am at https://www.ticketmaster.com/. More information about pre-sale opportunities can be found here.
WWE Fastlane Priority Passes are available through WWE’s partnership with On Location. WWE Fastlane 2023 is set to be the company’s first premium live event in Indianapolis since WWE Night of Champions 2016. WWE introduced Fastlane to the pay-per-view calendar in 2015, and it returned the following year. It was held as a brand-exclusive show for the next two years. Fastlane came back in 2019, but it was not part of the schedule in 2020. WWE last held Fastlane on March 2, 2021.
Indianapolis Indians Coverage:
Jared Jones fanned five batters over 5.2 innings in his Triple-A debut as Indianapolis Indians pitching allowed just three hits, but the offense couldn’t string together base knocks in a 3-1 series-opening loss to the Columbus Clippers at Victory Field on Tuesday night.
Indians Record: 29-39 / Columbus Record: 31-37
WP: Nic Enright (2-1) / LP: Jared Jones (0-1) / SV: Jhon Romero (1)
Follow us on Facebook
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson