Lessons Learned from the Pacers

Growing up in Indiana, basketball was life. Waking up this morning, I wanted to write about the influence the Indiana Pacers had on my life considering how fun the current Pacers team has been this year. What a great young core of players wreaking havoc!

My dad and grandpa both played basketball, and that made me love it from an early age. Plus, being in Indiana, every house has a hoop, so that's what we did.

Of all of my favorite teams, the Pacers have always been at the top, and it started because of one player, Reggie Miller. When you look at attributes that make people successful, Reggie has the mentality that he will out work everyone, not back down to anyone, and I can only imagine the hours of practice he spent helping evolve the NBA into today's run and gun from anywhere 3 point league. He was a true professional, was loyal to Indiana for his entire career, and gave back to the community.

Coming into every year, Reggie was always in top conditioning. We would see him running the stairs at the Carmel High School Football Stadium in the summer. Reggie went toe to toe with Jordan and Kobe (All three had the same work ethic and killer mentality, and Jordan still dislikes him to this day, check out this clip). He frustrated them more than any other player. Growing up, Reggie had leg braces and actually had to walk with crutches. He was able to overcome that and become the best shooter in the league.

I had a dial clock radio in my bedroom--you know the ones with the red lights that said the time. I would listen to every Pacers game and memorize all of the stats, when I was supposed to be sleeping, and would hear the Great Slick Leonard yell, Boom Baby, and think I want to shoot just like Reggie some day.

One of my favorite moments growing up was meeting Billy Keller (Famous Pacer who ran an amazing basketball camp) at the Target Mall off of Keystone in Carmel around 3rd grade. My dad and I talked to him for 30 minutes, I told him all of the stats of each player and how I listened to every single game on the radio. That next week, I got a phone call that I won a free Billy Keller Basketball Camp trip. I couldn't believe it. Billy enjoyed our conversation and decided I was the kid that would get to go to his camp for free. That camp was a defining moment and my first overnight camp where all we did was hoop. Thank you, Billy!

The next year I went on to Reggie's camp which was an all time highlight of my childhood. He gave each kid two autographs. That's me on the bottom right.

I spent all of my free time day and night shooting hoops in our driveway. Rain, snow, no lights, it didn't matter I was out there every single day, practicing by myself, with friends, or against my dad and the other neighbors. Many times, I would pretend in my head that I was Reggie Miller, playing Michael Jordan, and Reggie always came out on top.

I continued this into my 30s. I could get hot and hit 5-10 shots in a row in our battled games at Lifetime Fitness in Indy, Chicago, or in Southern California at the Spectrum (Now Bay Club). I had one occurrence in a league game where I felt like I blacked out and hit 11 3 pointers. All I remember was shots leaving my hand and the net. It was so cool, but never happened to me again.

The beauty of following the Pacer teams for decades is you can see how much things can change over the years and how quickly.

First you see the greatest players always have great work ethics that push them to do things they don't like. They build routines and habits that let them practice more than others, and they constantly continue to learn even post NBA. You see people like Reggie and Peyton Manning continue to build businesses and carry that same drive into everything they do. I actually heard on the Andrew Huberman Podcast with David Goggins this week, that if you make yourself do things that are tough and you dislike, your brain actually expands, pretty crazy. That's what it takes to go from good to great.

Pacers were lucky for being a smaller market team with several eras of greatness.

• Reggie Miller Era - 1987-2005. A couple of major runs at a title with Mark Jackson, Rik Smits, Davis brothers. And then the second act with Jermaine O'Neil, Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson. Battles with Knicks, Bulls, Lakers, and Pistons.

• Paul George Era - Battled Lebron in multiple Eastern Conference Finals

• Victor Oladipo Era (2015-2021) - Again battled Lebron

• Tyrese Halliburton Era (2021 - Present) - Starting days of a dynasty with a generational point guard. Somehow still battling Lebron, although that is finally closing down.

What following the Pacers and loving basketball taught me:

• Work ethic and tenacity are the biggest difference makers in life. Nothing is easy, and it will take tons of practice at anything to improve.
• Every year is a fresh start like a basketball season, minor tweaks, and adding the right people to your team will build greatness.
• The great ones continue to get outside of their comfort zone, are humble in certain ways, although do not back down to anyone in competition and their trade.

Although my time playing is done following a couple of ACL surgeries, I can't wait to hopefully have my daughters enjoy basketball or a sport/hobby as much as I did growing up.

Looking forward to the future and this current Pacers Era of basketball.

-Matt Swalley