George Hill walked the red carpet at the Indy 500 for the first time.
SPEEDWAY, Ind. — This time last year, Paul George was landing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a fantastic fashion, via a IU Health Helicopter as he delivered the Green Flag.
Though George is traveling through Europe, several of his teammates made the trip to the west side of central Indiana, to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500. It was a sellout for the first time in race history, and the local TV blackout was lifted for just the third time.
Hill at the New Era Caps tent.
George Hill, Glenn Robinson III, and Myles Turner were all on hand.
For Hill, it was a last-minute thing. He walked the red carpet, made an appearance at the New Era Caps tent, where he applied a free patch for hat buyers, and then he hung out in the pits. I’m told it all came together in the last 24 hours.
This was the third different time Hill, the Broad Ripple High School product, has attended the race but it was just his first time walking the red carpet.
Hill declined to talk basketball and preferred to talk about his city and the race.
“Indiana has been a great basketball state and a great race car state,” he said. “It’s fun to be a part of it — especially to come out and see how many fans are supporting this great event. I’m glad to be a part of it.”
[See Also: Josef Newgarden is … Ted Crasnick]
Hill appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter set, and afterwards caught up with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.
He then made another stop, appearing at a New Era Caps tent and personally ironing on a commemorative 100th Running patch to New Era hats.
Robinson III was one of three Pacers — also Rakeem Christmas and Joe Young — involved in the GQ and Simon Malls fashion show late last week. The Gary, Ind. native was excited and proud to attend the Greatest Spectacle in Racing for the first time.
Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, and George Hill before going on SportsCenter.
“As a Hoosier, this 100th race means a lot to everybody in the state,” he said two hours before the start. “This is actually my first race so I’m excited to see it. I was always busy with basketball but now in the offseason, I can be here.
“There are so many people, this is overwhelming; I don’t know how I’d be able to perform in front of all these people. I have a lot of respect for these drivers. The 500 has a different type of vibe, different feeling and way more people. I did get a chance to drive around the track a few months ago, but that doesn’t compare to this.”
Joining Robinson III on the red carpet was rookie Myles Turner, who rode in the 500 Festival Parade and attended the Snakepit Ball Saturday evening at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. (He’s still a rookie until the 2016 NBA Draft, on June 23rd.)
[Myles Turner voted to All-Rookie Second Team]
Turner, from Bedford, Texas, was obviously catching this race for the first time in person.
“Pretty cool,” he said staring at all of the people, about six rows deep surrounding the red carpet. “It’s mind-blowing to see so many people come together for one event. I don’t have a favorite, I just want to see a good race.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BF_-DCvCskH/
INDY 500! pic.twitter.com/yBfVL5ZN5R
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) May 29, 2016
https://www.instagram.com/p/BF_yX6Ly7Yb/