As the NFL season gets ready to kick off on Wednesday, September 9th, the sports world is abuzz with the feeling everyone remembers. Summer break is coming to a close, school seems almost fun in its absence, and you can't wait to see your friends again.
Then, your fantasy team starts 1-5, your favorite squad loses their star player, and you're looking at college players by week eight.
You know what that sounds a lot like? The Indiana Pacers' gap year in 2025-26. What was supposed to be a step back in focus on developmental opportunities rapidly became a race to the bottom. Even if the season gave Indiana Ivica Zubac for a rapidly shrinking, nearly scammy trade return, it was certainly not what the Pacers wanted.
The Colts, conversely, combined the Pacers' 2024-25 season and 2025-26 season into one hellish campaign. After starting the season winning nearly 10 straight and shocking the world with a blend of breakouts and bouncebacks, they collapsed to miss the playoffs entirely.
Now, ahead of week one, the Pacers and Colts share far more similarities than their vastly different sports would imply. It's crazy enough that Tyrese Haliburton, at 6'5 is taller than all but five Colts, but it's even crazier that these are two teams in the same city setting up for the same season.
Here's what we mean by that.
From top to bottom, these Colts and these Pacers are tied
The easiest comparison to make is that both teams are now awaiting their leaders' returns from major Achilles injuries. While Daniel Jones and Haliburton work back, it's also worth noting how important they were for the teams they left hopeless.
Both players are the engines of their teams success, recovering from the same injury that took out both their and their teammates season.
Down the roster are the undersized yet enigmatic firebrands. Josh Downs and TJ McConnell certainly don't have the height, but they make the best of what they have. Downs fell in the draft out of UNC due to size concerns, and McConnell has somehow carved out a career at 6'0 lasting until his age-34 season.
While their ages do not align at all, their personalities certainly do.
Do you not like small players? Well, Indiana sports boast big guys too. Tyler Warren (not TJ, unfortunately) and Ivica Zubac are both notable newcomers from last year who started the year off hot before injuries slowed them down (the veracity of Zubac's injuries is questionable).
They'll be hoping to prove that they can add value doing "big-guy stuff" at an elite rate. For Warren, that will mean continuing to expand his blocking and jump-ball playmaking, whereas Zubac will have to prioritize his rebounding and shot-blocking.
Funny enough, Warren is just 6'6, closer to guard size than Zubac's relatively towering 7'0, but that is how these sports break down.
The Pacers will have to wait a few more weeks to join the Colts on TV, but that won't stop fans from getting excited. With their teams on the rise, Indiana sports are surely set for a fun year.
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