Herb Simon

In a state where basketball is a religion, the gym a church, and the Pacers the overlords of all the kingdom, one man stands out above the rest: Herb Simon. A native of the Bronx, Herb Simon left the Big Apple for Indianapolis to join his older brother Mel in commercial real estate. The joint venture was a tremendous success, and the brothers fell in love with their adopted hometown. Business was booming in Indiana, but the Pacers had fallen on hard times. Herb and brother Mel stepped in, and a deal was struck for the Simon’s to purchase the struggling NBA franchise. Now more than 40 years later, Herb is the longest-tenured NBA owner. The Pacers have featured outstanding players like Reggie Miller and Chris Mullin, outstanding coaches including Larry Brown and Larry Bird, and front office talent like Donnie Walsh. In 1999, Simon founded the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. The Fever won the 2012 WNBA championship with Tamika Catchings leading the charge. Simon served as the Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors from 1999 to 2001. His business acumen, humble approach, and steady hand have helped the NBA through unprecedented growth and expansion.