Jalen Rose returns to Indy to co-host inaugural Pro Volleyball All-Star match
Rose was on the Indiana Pacers from 1996-02 and was the 2000 NBA Most Improved Player. His daughters' interest in volleyball has a big part in him being in Indy this weekend.
Happy weekend, everybody. Let’s hope it actually gets warmer soon because I’ve had enough of winter already.
The Pacers (31-23) returned from All-Star break and beat the Grizzlies 127-113 on Thursday. They were once again outscored in the first quarter, but then poured in 50 points in the second quarter — and took it from there.
They had Friday off and will practice on Saturday ahead of hosting the Clippers on Sunday (5 p.m.) for game 2 of 4 of this homestand.
Before then, I’ll be at Butler Saturday as the Bulldogs host No. 5 UConn. Paige Bueckers is in her final season at UConn and who knows how many more years Geno Auriemma will be coaching.
That has attracted a sellout crowd for this women’s game at Hinkle Fieldhouse, a first in program history. Coach Austin Parkinson has that program on the rise.
However, another event in town also has my attention.
Did you know there’s another new professional sport in Indy? The Indy Ignite, a woman’s professional volleyball league, began their inaugural season this year. (It’s Season 2 for the league.)
And because Indy often puts on great events, it will be hosting the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) All-Star match on Saturday. The first-ever event will be held at the Fishers Event Center (11000 Stockdale Street, Fishers, IN 46037), home of the Ignite as well as the Indy Fuel (hockey).
Former Pacer Jalen Rose, a Detroit native, was invited to co-host the festivities with four-time Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson East. She’s married to Andrew, who I went to high school with at North Central High School.
So one week after Rose — who was on ESPN for 16 years — was an analyst on TNT’s coverage of NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco, he is back in Indiana for yet another All-Star game.
It’s the inaugural PVF All-Star match and will air on CBS beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. There were 24 players selected to play in the three-set match.
You can expect to see Jalen Rose and Shawn Johnson East before the match and during breaks, along with an appearance on the national CBS telecast.
“I am tremendously excited about co-hosting the Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star match in my old stomping grounds in Indiana,” Rose said. “I have so many great memories from my time in Indianapolis and I can’t think of a better way to make new ones than to help bring pro women’s volleyball to the world-wide stage with this first All-Star Match.”
Rose, 52, is a proud volleyball dad. His daughter Gracie plays at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and his other daughter, Mariah, played in high school.
He was brought to Indy in the first place years ago by Donnie Walsh, the former architect of the franchise who deserves a place in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
One thing that stands out to me about that special group in the late ‘90s: how successful they’ve been after basketball. More specifically, how many of them went into broadcasting.
Rose, Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson, Austin Croshere — and that’s just from the 2000 Finals team. One month ago, Antonio Davis was named the Chief Executive Officer of the National Basketball Retired Players Association.
Others I think about include Fred Hoiberg (coaching at Nebraksa), Mark Pope (coaching at Kentucky), Haywoode Workman (retired NBA official), Jeff Foster (entrepreneur back home in Texas), etc. There are more. But those teams were successful, in part, because they consisted of smart, hard-working, and self-motivated players.
As for Rose, one of his great legacies is his mom creating the name — Jalen. Like former Pacer Jalen Smith, or Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson.
Earlier this month, the winning quarterback in the Super Bowl was Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.
As for this special volleyball All-Star match, there were four Ignite players selected: Sydney Hilley, Kylie Murray, Ashanti Tealer, and Lector Member-Meneh.
Caitlin Clark attended the Ignite’s second game back on Jan. 16. She sat on the baseline adjacent to the team bench. Then, the team took a picture with her after the win.
“It was pretty sick,” Tealer admitted. “She’s probably one of the most popular people in the world in the past year, so we’re glad she came. We’re thankful for that. She’s always welcome back.”
This is the first of many sporting events in the area for the next four months. In July, Indy will host the WNBA All-Star game for the first time.
But before then, there’s…
Annual NFL Scouting Combine
Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments
Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments
Division II NCAA men's and women's swiming & diving championships
NCAA men’s basketball regional
NIT and WNIT
and a whole lot more.