NEW CASTLE — Basketball is an important chapter in Indiana's history, and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is ready to showcase it all to fans visiting Indiana for the NBA All-Star Weekend.
"If the history isn't alive with us, then a lot of it gets lost," said Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame executive director Matt Martin. "It's our job and duty to continue that."
Hundreds of Indiana basketball artifacts are on display at its New Castle complex, with thousands more likely in the museum's archives.
"25% of what we have is on display," Martin said. "When people walk through these doors, they are able to see what Indiana basketball is all about."
The museum is making room for more of those artifacts with an expansion, which is under construction and should be ready for visitors by October.
The Hall of Fame currently features videos from Indiana basketball legends, such as former UCLA coach John Wooden, who is from Martinsville, and former NBA Most Valuable Player Oscar Robertson, who won two high school championships at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis.
Martin said he's proud of how the Hall of Fame tells the story of Indiana basketball to Hoosiers and out-of-state visitors.
"They play basketball in every country and every state, but it's just different in Indiana," Martin said. "The Lakers have their story in California and the Knicks have their story in New York. This place shows where Indiana fits in and why it's different here."
