The Indiana Pacers are no strangers to high-stakes moments, but their upcoming appearance in the NBA Draft Lottery carries a weight unlike anything they've faced in nearly four decades. As the franchise prepares for Sunday's event in Chicago, it's worth looking back at the moment that started it all—and forward to what could be a defining chapter in Pacers history.
It was 1985, and the very first NBA Draft Lottery had the basketball world on edge. The prize? Patrick Ewing, the Georgetown legend whose dominance had made him the most coveted prospect in a generation. In a split-screen broadcast on CBS, Pacers owner Herb Simon sat opposite Knicks Hall-of-Famer Dave DeBusschere as Commissioner David Stern opened the envelopes. When the second pick was revealed to be the Pacers logo, Simon stood up, slapped the table, and offered a gracious congratulations to DeBusschere—who would go on to select Ewing, a future 11-time All-Star and Hall of Famer.
That moment, dramatic as it was, set the stage for one of the most intriguing lottery stories in the league. The Pacers landed the No. 2 pick in that inaugural lottery and picked in the top three three times in the first four years of the system. But since then, lottery luck has been a rare commodity in Indiana.
Fast forward to today, and the Pacers find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Coming off the worst record in franchise history, they enter the 2024 lottery with the best odds they've had in 37 years—since the system switched from envelopes to ping-pong balls. With a 14% chance at the No. 1 overall pick and a 52.1% chance at a top-four selection, the Pacers are one of three teams with the maximum odds. This is their most significant lottery moment since that first one in 1985.
Why has it been so long? Simple: the Pacers have been a playoff mainstay. In the 37 years between the 1985 lottery and now, they've missed the postseason far less often than they've made it. Even in their down years, they were usually competitive, entering the lottery with slim odds. In fact, they've participated in just 12 of 41 lotteries heading into this season, and in seven of those, they had less than a 2% chance of landing the top pick. They've never earned a No. 1 overall selection, and they haven't picked in the top five since 1988.
But here's the thing: when the Pacers have had lottery picks, they've made them count. They've drafted core pieces that fueled 16 playoff appearances—a testament to their scouting and development. Now, with a chance to add a franchise-altering talent, the stakes couldn't be higher. Whether it's a generational star or a key building block, Sunday's lottery could reshape the Pacers' future for years to come.