Public invited to Pacers draft party

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The NBA is Thursday night. The Indiana Pacers have the 13th pick.

Team leaders say they want their fans to be a part of the action. Doors open at 6 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse. The party is free and open to the public.

More than 4,000 people showed up for last year's draft party, and Pacer executives are expecting a big turnout this year.

The first 1,000 fans that show up will receive a coupon for a free meal. Parking will also be free in the Virginia Avenue Parking Garage.

This is something the Pacers did back in the 80's and 90's, last year they decided to bring it back.

24 hour news 8 asked Pacer executives if this Draft Party is a way to spark some interest in the team after a few, on and off the court, road blocks over the past few years. “This is a pro basketball team, a great asset in the city, a fun product to see, the folks that saw the team last year enjoyed the style of play, enjoyed how hard this team played, how together they played, and the fact that they were really good guys, and very involved in the community. So they really set the stage, and hopefully this year we have a better launching pad for people to have fun,” said Larry Mago Senior VP of Marketing for the Pacers.

All eyes will be on the Pacers as they have the number 13 overall pick, and the 52nd overall pick.
Experts consider this draft to be one of the deepest in recent years.

The Pacers have worked out a number of players over the past few weeks; a few of those players are Hoosiers.