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Kyle Guy will be back for more with USA Basketball.

After a successful stint on the World Cup qualifying team during the window last November, Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 2016 has been named to one of two 3x3 teams that will compete on the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Men’s Pro Circuit.

Guy, an Indianapolis native and product of Lawrence Central High School, is one of five players named to Team Phoenix’s roster — along with Eric Demers, Eric Dixon, Devin Gilligan, and Malik Hluchoweckyj.

This group will first compete in the Manila Challenge on May 9–10. Four players may be active at each event.

3x3 competition has continued to grow in recent years, including its inclusion in the Summer Olympics. This marks the fifth straight year that Team USA has fielded teams on the 3x3 Pro Circuit, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the 3x3 World Tour Final in December.

The game is played in a half-court setting with a 10-minute clock and a 12-second shot clock. The first team to 21 points — or the team leading at the end of regulation — is the winner.

As for Guy, this continues a memorable return to basketball after retiring two years ago and moving into coaching. He had a successful stint with the Noblesville Boom, represented Team USA in World Cup play, and parlayed that into a contract overseas in China.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for him,” Hankins said of Guy with Team USA. “It’s one of those things you can’t turn down if they ask you to do it, especially in his position. So we wish him the best. Hope he goes up there and he will — he’ll do very well. He’s obviously a very good player, but also really bright, experienced. The coaching side of it helped him even more to become better.”

Tyrese Haliburton was part of the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the 2024 Olympics. On the women’s side, three Indiana Fever players — Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston — are in consideration for the Senior National Team.

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The city of Noblesville has reached agreement with Riverview Health on a naming rights partnership for The Arena at Innovation Mile, home of the G League’s Noblesville Boom.

The venue will be renamed Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile.

An official announcement is expected Thursday afternoon before the Boom host the Cleveland Charge in their regular-season finale. After missing the postseason for the first time in four seasons — due in part to injuries and call-ups to the Pacers — it will be their final game of the season.

The deal comes nearly three years after Pacers Sports & Entertainment announced plans to relocate the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and play home games at a proposed $38.5 million arena in Noblesville.

Ground was broken on the 3,400-seat venue in November 2023.

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen previously told Fieldhouse Files that PS&E would oversee both the team name and the building’s naming rights.

“I put the naming of the facility, as well as the naming of the team, in their hands,” Jensen said after the groundbreaking. “I changed the city logo a few years ago and that was a little dicey. So we’re going to let them, the experts, do that.”

According to its website, Riverview Health is an independent community-based health system comprised of a full-service, 156-bed hospital in Noblesville, a 16-bed hospital in Westfield, as well as freestanding combined ER and urgent care facilities. … It provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services in more than 35 healthcare specialties and has been frequently recognized for its clinical and service excellence.

“Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile reflects our belief that health goes far beyond clinical care,” said Dr. Eric Marcotte, Chief Medical Officer at Riverview Health. “The naming initiative reinforces Riverview’s commitment to the community and will provide health-focused programming and community engagement initiatives at the new arena.”

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This arena serves as the central hub for Innovation Mile, a district featuring innovation, tech, sports, and entertainment. It’s near Ruoff Music Center, has numerous hotel offerings and restaurants nearby as well.

“The City of Noblesville is grateful to partner with Riverview Health to name our state-of-the art venue, Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile,” Jensen said. “This partnership embodies our commitment to building a dynamic district where innovation, wellness, and community engagement thrive together.”

Following the 2024-25 season, PS&E unveiled a full rebrand — from the Indiana Mad Ants to the Noblesville Boom — a nod in part to the late Slick Leonard’s iconic “Boom Baby!” call.

“It’s really an opportunity to create a brand experience from the ground up,” Todd Taylor, then President and Chief Commercial Officer of PS&E, said last April. (He has since stepped away from that role.)

“We’re very proud that we were connected to Fort Wayne and the Mad Ants and still think that is one of the all-time great nicknames for a team. But when you start in a new building, in a new city, with a new name — you can imagine any possibility.

Chris Taylor serves as Boom general manager and Tom Hankins is head coach. They enjoyed Season 1 in the new arena, which now has its first naming rights deal.

In addition to the Boom and local events, the city has secured the Horizon League men’s and women’s basketball championships from 2027-31, hosting the second rounds, semifinals and finals.

Already, the team has lost Steven Ashworth and Kyle Guy to opportunities overseas, plus season-ending injuries to Gabe McGlothan (rib fractures) and Ray Spalding (surgery to his right middle finger).

Boom general manager Chris Taylor on Bell:

“When we initially traded for Jordan during the 2021-22 season, he instantly changed our culture for the better, and as a result, we could not be more excited to welcome him back to our organization.

“Any time you have the opportunity to add a player who is the franchise's all-time leader in blocks and has an NBA Championship on his resume, the decision makes itself. JB embodies our ‘Embrace the Grind’ mentality, and for all the positive attributes he brings as a leader in the team setting, he is an even better person off the court. Personally, I am incredibly proud of the tireless work he has put into the rehab process and am excited to see him back on the court - this time in a Boom jersey.”

Jordan Bell is back running with the Noblesville Boom.

The G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers reacquired the 6-foot-7 forward on Thursday, league sources told Fieldhouse Files.

Bell, 31, was beloved by teammates and the franchise. He suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee on Nov. 15, 2024 and has been out of the league since.

Until the Boom brought him back.

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In his last full season with the team, two years ago, he averaged 11.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Bell is the franchise’s all-time leader in blocks with 164.

This will be Bell’s fourth different season with the franchise — and under a third different name.

• He played 21 games during the 2021-22 season when they were still the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

• He played 39 games during the 2023-24 season as the Indiana Mad Ants.

• He appeared in just two games during the 2024-25 season, sustaining a left-knee injury.

• Now, he returns after the team underwent a full rebrand — the Noblesville Boom, and playing games at The Arena at Innovation Mile.

The Boom have three regular-season games remaining this season, all at home.

1. Fri., Mar. 20 v Austin Spurs, 7 ET

2. Sun., Mar. 22 v Austin Spurs, 3 ET

3. Thu., Mar. 26 v Cleveland Charge, 7 ET

Jalen Slawson was away from Indianapolis when he got the call from team executives that he was getting the call-up. The Noblesville Boom are on a road trip, first in Texas and now Mexico City, when Slawson signed a two-way contract with the Pacers.

This move comes after the Pacers signed Quenton Jackson to a three-year deal after he had signed three consecutive two-way contracts with the organization. His promotion left one of three two-way slots open, which they used on Slawson.

It’s the latest example of Boom general manager Chris Taylor’s “better basketball opportunities” core values.

Slawson signed his new deal on Saturday (Feb. 28), one day after posting a 30-point, 11-assist game against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. It was his fourth 30-point performance of the season.

The forward has been having a special season with the Noblesville Boom. He’s averaging 19.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game. All that, while shooting 48.1% from the field.

Pacers executives Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan, and Ted Wu, along with head coach Rick Carlisle, were all courtside for the Boom game on Feb. 1.

Slawson, 26, was selected 54th overall in 2023 by the Sacramento Kings. He was acquired by the Boom on August 29 from the Birmingham Squadron. He spent the 2024-25 season playing for the Osceola Magic.

Samson Johnson has reached agreement with the Noblesville Boom, G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, on a contract buyout, league sources told Fieldhouse Files.

The move allows Johnson to become a free agent and pursue an opportunity overseas. He is the third Boom player to take that route this season, joining rookie guard Steven Ashworth and Indy native Kyle Guy a few weeks later.

In a corresponding move, the Boom signed 6-foot-8 forward Omar El-Sheikh from the available player pool.

Johnson, a 6-foot-10 center, missed the first month of the season due to injury. He made his season debut Dec. 11 against the Wisconsin Herd, coming off the bench and converting all five of his field-goal attempts and his free throws to finish with 15 points and five rebounds in fewer than 15 minutes.

Johnson averaged 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in 21 appearances this season.

He won back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2023 and 2024 at the University of Connecticut.

The Noblesville Boom, the G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, are without a president of business operations for the second time in six months.

Ryan Grant left his position in January, league sources told Fieldhouse Files.

Grant did not return multiple messages, but sources said the pull to return home to Des Moines, Iowa, became too strong.

Grant previously served as team president of the Iowa Wolves — the G League affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves— from 2017 to 2023. The team is based in Des Moines.

According to his LinkedIn page, Grant launched Corner 3 — described as “a consulting firm specializing in marketing and sales strategies, sports marketing, and event management and production — in January of 2025.

Grant was hired in September after Tim Bawmann, who had served as team president since 2016, resigned in August.

In this role, Grant’s primary focus was on connecting with the Noblesville community while growing the team’s local presence.

“To work for Pacers Sports and Entertainment is like a dream,” Grant told me in November. “They are a fantastic organization and a great group. And so it was a no-brainer for me to move into this opportunity.”

It’s a pivotal time for the franchise. The team recently completed a full rebrand — from the Indiana Mad Ants to the Noblesville Boom — and now plays home games at the newly opened, 3,400-seat venue: The Arena at Innovation Mile in Noblesville.

“Opening up this building, it’s a fantastic building,” Grant said in November. “It’s a great venue for basketball.

“… If we can sell this thing out and we have all the enthusiasm around it, we saw it with the open scrimmage. We weren’t anticipating that many people, and turned around having 1,500 people in the building for an open scrimmage, for a free event to watch our guys practice. I mean, it’s fantastic. This is great, it’s awesome.”

The Boom’s primary business contact with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Todd Taylor, also left his role in November.

In the meantime, Chris Taylor continues to oversee basketball operations. He has been with the organization for more than a decade and has served as general manager since 2021. He is joined by assistant general manager Tim Brown Jr.

Grant was with the Boom in Orlando, Fla., just before Christmas, for the G League Winter Showcase.

Soon after joining the franchise, Grant said he felt strong alignment between the Pacers and Boom.

“It’s been unbelievable, right? We are one unit. We make decisions, and everybody falls in line, and we have support all the way up and down the organization,” Grant said in November.

“It’s been fantastic. Coming here from a team where I was three and a half hours away from — I ran the Iowa Wolves and was with the Timberwolves organization — (this is) really different. Here we have so much support, and it’s made it awesome. It’s how we can do what we do.”

Grant’s departure leaves another leadership vacancy on the business side during a transitional stretch for the franchise. With a new brand and venue established, the organization now faces the task of maintaining momentum while again reshaping its executive structure.

The Boom have a 13-8 record in the regular season and will be represented by Ethan Thompson and Gabe McGlothan at NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

NOBLESVILLE — With Pacers guards Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, and Bennedict Mathurin healthy and back in the rotation, there are few minutes available for guards at the end of the roster.

Still, rookie Kam Jones is finding ways to contribute however he can.

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NOBLESVILLE — As the Pacers continue a four-game homestand, their G League affiliate is also at home for two games this weekend.

From last Wednesday through Tuesday, there is either a Pacers or Noblesville Boom home game on all but one night — a great opportunity for basketball fans in central Indiana to enjoy pro basketball.

I made the 25-mile drive from downtown Indianapolis to Noblesville on Friday for the Boom’s home game.

What made the night notable was that it marked the first time this season all three two-way players — Quenton Jackson, Ethan Thompson, and Taelon Peter — were in uniform together for a G League game. Additionally, 2025 second-round pick Kam Jones was assigned to the team for practice on Thursday and suited up Friday.

“It’s really nice,” Boom head coach Tom Hankins said Friday night.

Hankins has been in the role long enough to expect the unexpected, but this season hasn’t been easy. The Boom entered the year with a completely new roster and have never been at full strength.

“A lot of talented guys out there and we played really well together. Anytime we get these guys to come down and they’re used to playing against the best of the best and practicing against the Pacers and all that. So for them to come down here and get some reps, work on their conditioning and timing, it’s always fun.”

It was appreciated, too, because the team was without guards Cody Martin (illness) and Cameron Hildreth (back).

The Boom (9-6) gave up a dunk in transition after at turnover, then responded with a 17-2 burst — including 13 straight points. They trailed for a total of 31 seconds and led the rest of the way.

It was a complete domination — as it should have been, given the talent finally available.

It just took until Game 29 of the season.

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The G League splits the season into two phases: the Tip-Off Tournament leading into the Winter Showcase, followed by the regular season. While teams typically dislike the record reset, the Boom welcomed it this year.

They went 5-9 during the Tip-Off Tournament, opening the season on the road and even needing to bus in a player from Chicago under emergency hardship conditions — yes, much like the Pacers.

They were also directly impacted by the Pacers’ early-season injury issues, which required all healthy two-way players to remain with the NBA club. The Boom had their own injury challenges as well, with both centers sidelined until mid-December.

Following a 124-111 win over the Birmingham Squadron — the New Orleans Pelicans’ affiliate — the Boom improved to 9-6 and moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference. It was their fifth straight victory.

“We just continue to get better, specially on the defensive side of the ball,” Hankins said. “Just more solid. We don’t gamble nearly as much.”

This roster is entirely new and younger than Boom teams in recent seasons. So there’s a lot of learning on the fly from guys who didn’t initially understand because they hadn’t played at this level.

The Pacers want to imitate the Pacers: play hard, play fast, and play together.

“Everybody in this league can play,” Hankins continued. “So they’ve done a great job of paying attention and learning and continuing to get better. Probably the most enjoyable part about this group of guys, especially the guys just on the Boom roster, is how they love to play. They want to get better. So they’re in the gym extra, they’re asking questions all the time, watching film — which is not common for the G League.

“To find an unselfish group and a group where the majority of them wanna get better — it’s hard. It’s pretty rare.”

The Boom had three 20-point scorers, led by Gabe McGlothan’s 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting off the bench. Jackson scored 23, while Thompson added 21.

The pace, ball movement and shot quality were exactly what Hankins wanted. The Boom enjoyed an 18-5 advantage in fast break points. The skill level of the two-way players stood out, even to casual fans in the building for a fun Friday night.

Thompson (4-for-4) and Jackson (3-for-3) combined to make their first seven 3-pointers. By halftime, the Boom led by 21 points and had recorded 18 assists on 22 made field goals.

That makes a coach happy.

Pacers executives Chad Buchanan, Ted Wu, Ryan Carr and Vance Catlin were in attendance, along with player development coach Isaac Yacob and sports performance coach Erik Huddleston, who began his career with the Boom.

That evaluator presence matters for players on both teams seeking opportunities — and it’s another argument for hosting G League games in a local market.

Two Pacers also made the trip to Noblesville on a rare Friday night off: guard Andrew Nembhard and forward Obi Toppin.

Toppin got out of his seat to take care of fans at the end of the third quarter.

He posed for many photos and signed autographs for almost 10 minutes. Those small interactions mean a lot to these kids — just look at their faces below. And some of them likely haven’t been able to attend a Pacers game before; Boom games are easier to get to and much more affordable.

The Boom have now won six of their last seven games and will host the Squadron again Sunday afternoon for “Pacers Night” at The Arena at Innovation Mile.

I spent Thursday in Noblesville covering the Boom’s first home game of 2026. Indiana’s G League affiliate had been on the road for its previous five games.

It’s been a busy stretch of basketball in central Indiana. The Pacers wrap up a four-game homestand Friday against the Pelicans, while the Boom opened a three-game homestand Thursday against the Grand Rapids Gold. (They lost 102-92, held to 39% shooting.)

The biggest news for the Boom: guard Kyle Guy has elected to play overseas for the remainder of the season. He had been the team’s best player, leading the Boom in minutes, points, and assists per game.

Before the full story — with perspective from general manager Chris Taylor and head coach Tom Hankins — here are a few notes:

• Bennedict Mathurin (right thumb sprain) and Isaiah Jackson (concussion) remain out.

• The NBA trade deadline is three weeks away: Thursday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET.

• Pacers rookie Kam Jones was assigned to the Boom for the second straight game. He was in the starting lineup with two-way guards Ethan Thompson and Taelon Peter.

• Jones tweaked his right ankle in the fourth quarter, but finished the game.

• Pacers owner Steve Simon, Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines, GM Chad Buchanan, and player development coach Isaac Yacob sat courtside.

• In case you missed it: The Boom adjusted Monday’s tip time to avoid conflicting with IU in College Football Playoff national championship game.

• Former Pacer Jeremiah Robinson-Earl signed a 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks via hardship exception. He previously signed two of those with the Pacers.

• In Fever news, Cory Price was hired as the senior director of player health and performance, and Carisa Ramirez as the basketball administration coordinator.

Guy Lands Enticing Offer Elsewhere

Boom general manager Chris Taylor has been in his current role for nearly five years, and part of the Pacers organization since 2012. During that time, he’s built the franchise around several core values.

One of them is simple: Better Basketball Opportunities.

Taylor wants to win and develop players, but above all, he wants them to leave the organization positioned for something bigger — whether that’s with the Pacers, another NBA team, or overseas.

That philosophy is literally built into the Boom’s new home at The Arena at Innovation Mile. Painted on the wall outside the locker room is the phrase “Better Basketball Opportunities,” alongside photos of every player who has earned an NBA call-up during their time with the Boom (formerly the Mad Ants).

As first reported here, Guy agreed to a contract buyout after securing an opportunity to play in China, per league sources.

A standard G League salary is $45,000, making overseas opportunities significantly more lucrative.

“We try to let our culture speak for itself that it’s not just a sign on the wall, that it’s something we truly live by,” Taylor told Fieldhouse Files on Thursday. “We try to put our players in the best position possible. Hopefully it’s an NBA call-up to compete at the highest level, but this is a heck of an opportunity — and 100% checks that box of helping him get to a better situation.”

The buyout wasn’t finalized until Thursday, but the overseas offer itself didn’t surprise Taylor. As GM, he stays in regular contact with league executives, scouts, and agents. Plus, the G League Winter Showcase that was held just before Christmas is big for exposure — for all 30 NBA teams and others overseas.

“Our guys have been performing, Kyle particularly, at a very high level,” Taylor said. “So I knew that there are gonna be some calls. I’ve heard from quite a few international scouts that check in on our guys as well. So where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

An Indianapolis native, Guy made an immediate impact both on the floor and with the fan base in just over two months. He helped steady the team early in the season amid injuries at both the NBA and G League levels.

On opening night in the Boom’s new arena, Guy was the player handed the microphone to welcome fans to a new era for the franchise.

(Click here to watch his interview after the season opener)

“He’s such a good pro,” coach Tom Hankins said, reflecting on Guy’s impact. “We’re going to miss him.”

That loss goes beyond scoring.

“He may have been even better off the court,” Hankins added.

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The Noblesville Boom will be without their top player for the remainder of the season.

Kyle Guy has reached an agreement with the Boom on a contract buyout, allowing for him to sign with a club overseas. He plans to continue playing in China, per league sources.

In a corresponding move, the Boom brought back forward Ray Spalding, who had been waived on Tuesday.

A text message to Guy was not immediately returned.

More on this story:

Guy becomes the second Boom player this season to leave to pursue an opportunity overseas. Two weeks ago, rookie guard Steven Ashworth agreed to a contract buyout, then signed with Gladiators Trier in Germany.

The departure is a significant loss for the Boom — the G League affiliate of the Pacers — as Guy had emerged as both a leader and the team’s most productive and consistent player. After briefly retiring from basketball and pursuing coaching opportunities, including a stint at his alma mater, the University of Virginia, Guy ultimately decided he still wanted to play.

At 4–5 in the regular season, the Boom sit ninth out of 16 teams in the Eastern Conference. (Records reset following the tip-off tournament.)

The Boom entered this season amid major change, undergoing a full franchise rebrand, playing home games in the newly built The Arena at Innovation Mile, and building an entirely new roster. Guy, who most recently served on Steve Alford’s coaching staff at Nevada, became a central piece of that transition.

It was a bonus that he’s an Indy native. He played at Lawrence Central High School and was voted Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2016.

In his return to professional basketball, Guy appeared in 20 games and averaged 21.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game. It marked his first G League action since the 2021–22 season.

He helped carry the Boom through the opening month-plus of the season, a stretch in which both the Boom and Pacers dealt with injuries that left each roster shorthanded. At one point, Noblesville was forced to use an emergency hardship exception, getting a player from Chicago to Grand Rapids for the season opener on Nov. 7.

The Boom open a three-game homestand Thursday against Grand Rapids. The Pacers have assigned rookie guard Kam Jones, while two-way guard Ethan Thompson and Taelon Peter are also expected to be available.

This story will be updated.

For more with Guy, watch what he had to say after the home opener on Nov. 8:

First, several Indiana high schools adjusted their basketball schedules to avoid conflicts with Indiana University football’s Peach Bowl appearance last Friday.

Now, the Noblesville Boom have done the same.

The Boom have moved up the start time of their Monday game against the Delaware Blue Coats so it does not conflict with the College Football Playoff National Championship game.

The game at The Arena at Innovation Mile will now tip off at 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m., with doors opening at 2 p.m.

Indiana enters the national title game with a 15–0 record and will face Miami on Monday night in Miami. During their playoff run, the Hoosiers defeated No. 1 Ohio State, No. 9 Alabama, and No. 5 Oregon.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Boom remain home for the next week, opening a three-game homestand.

Upcoming Schedule

• Thursday, Jan. 15 v Grand Rapids Gold | 7 pm

• Sunday, Jan. 18 v Delaware Blue Coats | 3 p.m.

• Monday, Jan. 19 v Delaware Blue Coats | 3 p.m.

NOBLESVILLE — It’s an exciting time for the Noblesville Boom — the Pacers’ G League affiliate. This week, the team will play its first game at its new $36.5 million home that officially opened just two months ago: The Arena at Innovation Mile.

This milestone comes two years after the groundbreaking and a decade after Pacers owner Herb Simon purchased the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The franchise relocated to Indianapolis in 2021 and now has a new city and fan base to connect with.

For years, the team played most of its home games at noon on weekdays, dictated by the Pacers’ schedule and Gainbridge Fieldhouse availability.

But not anymore — that special era ended last March.

Then came a full rebrand.

• New city: Noblesville

• New name: Noblesville Boom

• New logo

• New mascot (to be unveiled Tuesday night at an open scrimmage)

• New team colors — highlighted by cyan, leaning into the Pacers’ recent City Edition uniform success.

While the team will continue to practice and train at the Ascension St. Vincent Center in downtown Indianapolis, home games will now be played about 25 miles (and 35 minutes) northeast at The Arena at Innovation Mile.

General manager Chris Taylor and head coach Tom Hankins and return to lead the basketball side. On the business side, Ryan Grant was hired in September as Boom president of business operations. Meanwhile, Todd Taylor — who helped grow the Mad Ants/Boom brand — is stepping away from his role as president of business operations for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, though he’ll stay on as an advisor for a few months.

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Opening night for the Boom is Friday at Grand Rapids. Then, the teams will complete a home-and-home series Saturday in the first-ever game held at the new arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

“It feels like we’re moving about a million miles an hour, building a plane while it’s flying through the air here as we try to tie up everything.,” said Justin Jordan, the general manager of the building. “A lot of moving pieces, trying to get everything buttoned up to start welcoming the public into the building.

“The overall economic impact of The Arena at Innovation Mile is expected to be in the billions over the course of 30 years. The main driver of that and initial tenant being the Boom and those games that we’re gonna host here. We think that that’s gonna be the catalyst for everything else we intend to do — from private events to concerts to comedy and anything in between.”

I recently got a full behind-the-scenes tour of The Arena at Innovation Mile — and it’s spectacular.

There’s seating for about 3,400, though it can be expanded depending on the event. The Arena Club is going to be a big hit, and the concession areas — including Deer Creek Café and Hometown Eats — make perfect sense for this community.

The arena sits in a growing area of Noblesville, surrounded by new development and ample hotel space for visiting teams and fans.

The first event, held in early August, was a youth basketball camp. Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen later delivered his State of the City address from center court.

Come join me for an exclusive look inside the new home of the Noblesville Boom.

🎥 Watch the video tour below.

Photos

The NBA G League season begins after NBA training camps wrap up. By then, teams have a clearer sense of their rosters — and what they still need for the months ahead.

On Saturday, the G League held its annual draft and the Noblesville Boom — formerly the Indiana Mad Ants, who rebranded this offseason — made two selections.

First, they used their first-round pick to draft swingman Ben Coupet Jr. out of Chicago at No. 27. He’s 6-foot-7 and most recently played for the Windy City Bulls last season — averaging 10 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.

Then in the second round, they took guard Ahmaad Rorie out of Tacoma, Washington. He’s 30 years old and spent last season with S. L. Benfica in Portugal.

Rorie played college basketball at Oregon (2014-15) and Montana (2016-19), then went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft.

The Boom made one other move to complete the roster, adding guard Ithiel Horton from the available player pool. A native of Vauxhall, N.J., Horton averaged 6.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season playing in the G League with Grand Rapids Gold.

He bounced around in college playing for four different universities: Delaware, Pittsburgh, UCF, and Texas.

The Boom opened training camp on Monday at Ascension St. Vincent Center — the Pacers’ sports performance facility that opened in 2017 — and they’re scheduled to host an open scrimmage at their new game facility The Arena at Innovation Mile in Noblesville on Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m.

While they are headquartered and practice at the Pacers’ facility, they will play games at this beautiful new venue in Noblesville — which is also why they changed their name. After last season, they underwent a complete rebrand with a new name, logo, fonts — and now, a new venue.

Single-game tickets went on sale Oct. 28 and now with their own home venue, rather than typically playing noon games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, they are marketing the team and hope to build a fan base.

This team was established in Fort Wayne, later moved to Indianapolis, and will now play games in Noblesville for the first time.

Tom Hankins took over as head coach in 2021. Chris Taylor is the general manager.

For nearly two years, Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) worked on a major transformation. On May 8, 2023, they made a surprise announcement: the Fort Wayne Mad Ants would be relocating 100 miles south to Noblesville, Indiana.

That decision set off a multi-phase project — from designing and building a new arena to launching a full team rebrand.

This week, the team was officially reintroduced as the Noblesville Boom — a short, punchy name that pays tribute to the late Bobby “Slick” Leonard and his iconic catchphrase: “Boom, Baby!”

“The Noblesville Boom name also reflects the loud, fast-paced basketball the team brings to the court as well as the energy and growth of the Noblesville community,” the team said.

It’s rare for a franchise to hit reset so completely — new city, new arena, new name — but that’s exactly what’s happening here.

To learn about how it came together, I spoke with Todd Taylor, the President and Chief Commercial Officer of PS&E. He’s been with the company for 14 years this June, and is thrilled about the final result here.

“Once you get the name out there, you can really start to build the rest of the game experience, the brand, and the assets,” he said. “And that's the fun part. It’s great to come up with the logos and all that. But until you bring them to life, they're really just nice images on a piece of paper. And now we'll be able to start getting into the Noblesville community.”

Honoring the Past, and Moving On From Mad Ants

Two key G League trends influenced the change: relocating teams closer to their NBA parent clubs and aligning branding more closely with them.

G League rules require affiliate teams to play roughly 20 miles outside of their NBA arena. The Boom will continue using the Pacers’ practice facility, as they have the past two seasons, but will now host games about 27 miles away from downtown Indianapolis.

The Mad Ants recently completed their 18th and final season under that name. The Pacers purchased the team in 2015, and while the “Mad Ants” brand had a strong local identity — named after Revolutionary War general “Mad” Anthony Wayne — it no longer made sense after leaving Fort Wayne.

“The Mad Ants name was perfect for Fort Wayne,” Taylor said. “When we made the decision to bring the G League team a little bit closer to the home base in Indianapolis, we knew that we wanted to rebrand.”

During the transition, they played as the Indiana Mad Ants while construction began on The Arena at Innovation Mile, a new 3,400-seat, 123,000-square-foot arena that they will use for home games. It is scheduled to open this summer — “On time and under budget,” Taylor added, echoing comments from Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen.

“It's an incredible building,” said Taylor, who was up there this week. “When we first started this, there were all sorts of ideas of what this building would be. Noblesville, with its fast-growing community, wanted to make it certainly a basketball building, but also additional use for the city, including concerts and shows and those types of things.

“But the end result is we're going to have what I would consider the best G League building in the league and will certainly be one that I think people start to copy off of.”

What’s In A Name?

Once the arena plans were in motion, PS&E began narrowing down names. One thing Noblesville Mayor Jensen ensured in the contract is that the city’s name would be included.

“That was an important part for us,” he told me previously. “That is locked in stone.”

The team name has been almost two years in the making. They started with about 400 names on a board, then narrowed it down to six or seven before they settled on one.

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It was a longer-than-normal halftime Monday when the Indiana Mad Ants hosted the Windy City Bulls.

During their home finale at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, they surprised Steph Hicks with a jersey retirement. General manager Chris Taylor and head coach Tom Hankins invited him to center court for the ceremony.

“Just wanted to say congratulations, on behalf of the entire organization, on an incredible career,” Taylor said. “Your journey spanned from the NBA Developmental League all the way to now the NBA G League. You've made impacts everywhere from the Fort Wayne community to now in the locker room here in Indianapolis.

“You're forever a Mad Ant and we're incredibly honored that now number 17 will be forever Steph Hicks. Congratulations.”

Hicks, who played eight seasons with the Mad Ants, will be the last to wear No. 17 in franchise history. And he’ll also be the last Mad Ant player to have his jersey retired.

That's because the team will be rebranded to begin a new era with home games played in Noblesville, Ind. next season.

Moreover, coaches and players all wore a special Hicks t-shirt jersey on the bench. And his mom and fiancé surprised him at the game. He started the game and made the first bucket, a 3-pointer in the left corner.

The Mad Ants couldn’t hold on and lost to the Bulls, 116-113.

Ahead of the game and celebration honoring Hicks, Taylor spoke with Fieldhouse Files. (Click here to read that story.)

“Just so incredibly proud of Steph, not just as a player, but as a person as well,” Taylor said. “The fact that Steph dedicated so much of his effort and professional career to the Mad Ant organization is just a testament to who he is.”

The Mad Ants (18-14) are still in the hunt for a playoff spot and have two more regular-season games this week, both at Grand Rapids Gold.

The Indiana Mad Ants were given a road-heavy schedule to conclude another NBA G League Schedule. Their home finale on Monday is just their only home game over a three-week stretch.

It’s a big one, however, for many reasons.

First, they control their own destiny to the postseason. Just six of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference will advance and if they win out (with three games left) they are in. No matter what league it is, no matter what challenges had to be overcome, the playoffs are the goal.

Second, the team is referring to Monday’ as “Steph Hicks Day” to celebrate the career of a player who has been with the franchise through so much over the last decade.

And lastly, and perhaps largest of them all, is it’s the final home game for the team at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The end of an era.

The Mad Ants host the Windy City Bulls, the worst team in the 16-team Eastern Conference, at 12:30 p.m. Monday. And even though the Pacers have also denied me a credential to the Mad Ants (without explanation) for the first time, I’m not allowing that to keep me from telling a significant story about a franchise that I’ve been covering for more than a decade. There are good stories everywhere.

Over the last four years, Pacers Sports & Entertainment offered players of their G League affiliate a special and memorable experience playing home games in an NBA arena. They practice, lift weights, and get shots up at the Ascension St. Vincent Center, just like the Pacers. It’s available 24/7 to this team, as long as the Pacers aren’t using it.

“We've tried to really celebrate the fact that we've played in the NBA arena and have had access to NBA facilities, not just for practices, but games as well,” Mad Ants general manager Chris Taylor said. “I know there is that bit of excitement that can't be overlooked when our players have a chance to go out on the Pacers’ court. Guys still appreciate the fact that when we play on one of the unique, special courts, you can still see the excitement in everyone's faces when they go out.

“It's obviously not the norm in the G League.”

There’s the same Pacers stats crew, PA announcer, ball kids, and even a third-person broadcast team. Every home game has had a big-game feel, even if it is hard to attract a crowd when most games are at 12:30 p.m.

“How could you not be a little bit more motivated at the G League level when you are playing in an NBA facility?” Taylor continued. “We always talk about better basketball opportunities and a lot of the times, that is the NBA carrot that's dangling. So when it's staring you in the face every day and every home game, how could you not find a little bit added motivation to really put in all the work that you possibly could?

“It shows a lot of these other NBA teams that they truly believe in what the G League is about — invest time, financially, effort, all those things, into building a G League program to something that can truly help out the NBA program. That's why we're here at the end of the day.”

Having the Mad Ants not only in town, as opposed to two hours away in Fort Wayne, gets more NBA eyes on the players and enables the Pacers to utilize it even more as a developmental league.

They assigned rookie Johnny Furphy to the team nine times, including for this home finale. Jarace Walker used it to get some more game reps and build confidence as he saw playing time evaporate after several Pacers teammates returned from injury.

“There's been a ton of assignments, and it's led to a lot more conversations. When we play in the afternoon of a doubleheader and then Pacers at night, we’re constantly talking through some of our younger players, not just two-ways and then assignees who could suit up for the Mad Ants and get some valuable minutes,” Taylor said.

“And then even if they still needed to be active that night for the Pacers, something that you certainly have to take advantage of when it's literally in the same building.”

The Mad Ants first held part of their home schedule at The Fieldhouse during the 2021-22 season. That continued for another season.

Then before the 2023-24 season, the team officially moved from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis, including the business and basketball staff. As part of the move, they agreed to a partnership with Noblesville to play their home games about 35 minutes north of downtown Indianapolis.

However, the arena wasn’t built yet. They broke ground on Nov. 6, 2023, and it should be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

“Once Noblesville was officially named the location, and it's always something in the back of our mind, I've said excited a few times,” said Taylor, “but that word is overwhelmingly present with the fact from the team side — yeah, to have our new identity, have a city that we'll be able to call home, and something unique with us being the only pro basketball team in Noblesville with such close ties to downtown Indy and the Pacers, just really excited about that.”

Early studies done by Noblesville expect the team to have an estimated economic impact of $20-$30 million, but that was before they moved the location to just off I-69. A better location with great visibility.

“I think our return on investment is going to be huge for the community,” Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen told me at the groundbreaking. “We’ll have further studies as we go along, but we’re comfortable with our investment going forward.”

The 123,000-square-foot arena will have about 4,200 seats and be in the middle of a district they’re working to establish.

On Feb. 3, they officially rebranded the Noblesville Events Center to The Arena at Innovation Mile. The Pacers are expected to sell naming rights to the arena, but REV Entertainment will serve as the operator of the venue.

“I think you can just tell the city's really embraced the team already,” Taylor said. “And it’s going to be even more impactful once we're officially there. I'm excited for tickets to start being sold and the arena to be completed and we're able to see everything come to fruition.

Taylor also emphasized how the team is involved in the community. Once they get through NBA Summer League in July, the offseason, and start filling out the roster, he expects that community to grow even more. “We’re really excited about that too,” he said.

Added Mad Ants coach Tom Hankins: “We go to a lot of places that do have really good home courts, really good crowds, and you know the state of Indiana is going to support basketball. I think in that part of town, we can start to carve our own niche. It just makes the players feel so much more important when they have a great crowd at every game.”

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Steph Hicks has seen it all. He’s played for the Mad Ants during an ownership change, when the Pacers bought the franchise in 2015. That was his rookie year. He went from being the rookie to playing 30 minutes per game and averaging 15 points, to now taking on a role as mentor.

In the history of the franchise, there’s a couple players who stood out more than others. Ron Howard aka Mr. Mad Ant is one, and Hicks is another. Howard, who serves as the analyst for home broadcasts, has most of the franchise records and his No. 19 jersey was retired by the franchise.

“Just so incredibly proud of Steph, not just as a player, but as a person as well,” Taylor said. “The fact that Steph dedicated so much of his effort and professional career to the Mad Ant organization is just a testament to who he is.”

The 32-year-old guard went undrafted out of Cal State Northridge in 2015, then was acquired in a G League draft night trade by the Mad Ants. And he's been with them ever since. He was the recipient of the 2024 Mr. Mad Ant award (as seen in the photo above).

Steph Hick is the franchise leader in seasons played (8), wins (162), games played (270), points (3,115), rebounds (1,377), and single-season 3-point percentage (47).

“In the G League, you don't have many opportunities to celebrate a full career at the pro level,” Taylor said. “And his dedication and loyalty to our organization has been incredible. So Monday will be a really fun opportunity to celebrate somebody, see No. 17 immortalized. And we'll have a chance to put a spotlight on Steph.

“The last couple of years that he's been with us, he's taken on more of a mentor role in our locker room and he’s been impactful for some of our younger players, just teaching them the ropes of being a pro. Steph's played overseas and has had a lot of experiences at this level. And he's got such a good demeanor about him.”

As you can tell, Taylor has a lot to say about Hicks, who notably earned a call-up by the Pacers in Jan. 2019. That earned him a 10-day NBA contract.

Yes, he's spent some time playing overseas. However, this Los Angeles kid has made Indianapolis his second home.

“He loves to teach and take guys under his wing,” Taylor continued. “So, a lot of these guys that have played for us the last couple of years, they really didn't see the dominant Steph that was in conversations for call-ups routinely, one of the top players in the G League over the years and playing summer league and the all-time leading scorer at Cal State Northridge, all those kinds of things.

“They see the more vet version. Steph was dominant on the court, which I got to see a little bit when I first transitioned to the Mad Ants (from the Pacers). So Monday will be a full day of celebrating those things because the impact that he's made is pretty cool. There's nobody more deserving — and there are some surprises in the mix.”

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The Mad Ants are 18-3 in the regular season with three games left. That's good enough to secure the final roster spot (or potentially move up).

The impressive thing about it is they’ve done it without their three players on two-way contracts for much of the season, but especially early on. Remember Quenton Jackson leading the Pacers down in Houston? Because of so many injuries to the Pacers for the first two months of the season, Jackson, rookie Johnny Furphy, and others were needed up with the parent team.

With that in mind, I wondered how Taylor felt about this season and nearing closer to securing a postseason spot.

“Making the postseason in the G League is definitely not easy,” said Taylor. “Like you said, with all the inconsistencies and ups and downs, and changes in a G League roster, our coaches have to have game plans, A, B, C, D, plus X, Y, Z. So huge credit to those guys for locking in and keeping our players engaged through the different changes.

“Then credit to the players for remaining locked in. It’s an opportunistic league, for sure, and I think this season for us is maybe the biggest example of that that we've ever had. Due to the unexpected nature of the Pacers’ injuries, we've had one of the least amounts of two-way usage at the G League level. Our two-ways spent a lot of time upstairs with Pacers and our (standard) roster players have certainly stepped up to the plate, which is not always easy.

“We've got three games left and we control our own destiny. If we can win these games and we guarantee a spot in, it’s exciting and a credit to our players for staying positive. Not having the two-ways or assignment guys as much as we had probably predicted, it would be an easy thing to be like, well, I’m just going to go off for myself and try to get my own stats — but the guys have not done that. They remain team-focused and that's why we're seeing the team success.”

Following Monday’s game, the Mad Ants wrap up their regular-season schedule later this week with two games against Grand Rapids Gold.

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The Indiana Mad Ants agreed to a three-team trade on Thursday that sent guard Kyle Mangas to the Austin Spurs in exchange for rookie guard Boogie Ellis from the Stockton Kings.

As part of the deal, Matt Lewis was moved from Austin to Stockton.

Mangas, 25, was originally acquired by the franchise on Oct. 27, 2023 after he spent a few years playing overseas.

He’s from Warsaw, set records playing college ball at Indiana Wesleyan, and was eager to be closer to home. The Pacers invited him to two pre-draft workouts before the 2021 NBA Draft.

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Indiana Mad Ants forward Jordan Bell suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee, a league source told Fieldhouse Files.

The veteran went down with an injury on Friday in the team’s home-opener. The injury occurred with 5:40 left in the first quarter as he slid over in the paint to provide help defense and then blocked the shot of Iowa Wolves forward Leonard Miller.

Bell went down in pain, immediately clutched his left knee, then smacked the floor seven times with his right hand in frustration.

Soon after, athletic trainers Maria Witte and Alexis Gholston joined him on the court, along with team physician Dr. Troy Roberson.

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Think you have enough game to compete in the NBA G League?

The Indiana Mad Ants, the G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, are offering an opportunity for anyone to try out for the team.

A one-day open player tryout is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Noblesville Boys and Girls Club in Noblesville. Registration is required due to limited space — click here to register — and it requires a $250 non-refundable fee.

Check-in runs from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday morning.

The team has held private invitation-only tryouts in recent years. But this is the first time they’ve opened it up since before the 2019-20 season in Fort Wayne.

Typically, a few players will be given invitations to training camp later this month. And last year during tryouts, 6-foot-8 forward Will Vorhees earned a roster spot.

Chris Taylor is general manager, Tim Brown Jr. is assistant GM, and the head coach is Tom Hankins.

The Mad Ants open their season in Cleveland on Nov. 9 and 10. They will play home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse once again as they wait for their new arena to be built in Noblesville. The groundbreaking was held on Nov. 6.

Click here for more Mad Ants coverage.

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