Banner Year for Herb Simon
Herb Simon, the NBA's longest-tenured owner, was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Two weeks later, before the Indiana Pacers' home opener, a new banner was hung in the rafters.
What do the banners on the west side of Gainbridge Fieldhouse (almost) all have in common?
Hall of Fame.

So before the Pacers’ home opener on Oct. 27 against the Philadelphia 76ers, it was only right that one for Herb Simon joined the group.
It happened at 3:33 p.m. Sunday, just before the singing of the national anthem. His was hung between one for Slick Leonard and his brother, Mel.
His banner becomes the 10th hung. Five players, two championship-winning coaches, the Simon brothers, and Jim Morris — which was added in mid-August after his passing.
“If ever an award deserved two names on it, this one deserves it,” Herb said during his enshrinement speech two weeks ago in Springfield, Mass. “So in closing, I want to dedicate this recognition to the memory of my brother Mel.”
Simon is soft-spoken and prefers to stay in the background. But it’s fitting for there to be a banner hung for the longest-tenured owner in NBA history.
And here’s how the banners looked before one was added for Herb.