Pacers Mascot Boomer Takes Shanghai As Indiana Connects With Fans In China

Boomer visited Shanghai for a fan party over the weekend, as posted on the Indiana Pacers mascot's X account. The Pacers shared video from the trip Thursday morning.

Another post from the mascot's account said fans from ChinaPacers.com recreated a Tyrese Haliburton celebration with Boomer and asked followers to identify which one.

ChinaPacers.com is a Chinese-language fan site founded by Holick Lee, who hosts an annual gathering. In 2020, NBA China created a seven-minute documentary about the group.

Boomer was introduced before the 1991-92 season. He is 6 feet tall, wears jersey No. 00, and was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2020, a fact still highlighted in his X bio. The Hall of Fame museum is in Whiting, Indiana, where Boomer was inducted alongside Blue, the Indianapolis Colts' mascot. The dog mascot Bowser, who performed with him, retired after the 2009-10 season after eight years of service.

League programming has run in Shanghai all week. NBA China and Shanghai East Asia Sports Culture Center announced the first NBA Shanghai Basketball Festival on Aug. 10. The fan carnival runs from Aug. 24 through Aug. 30 at Shanghai Xujiahui Sports Park and is free to attend. NBA G League United plays the Shanghai Sharks on Aug. 28 and Aug. 30 at Shanghai Indoor Stadium, the G League's first games against a Chinese Basketball Association team. Shanghai won the 2025-26 CBA title.

Indiana last played in the region in 2009, splitting two NBA China Games with the Denver Nuggets. The Pacers won 126-104 on Oct. 8 in Taipei. On Oct. 11 in Beijing, Denver won 128-112. This season's NBA China Games will feature the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets playing preseason games at The Venetian Arena in Macao on October 9 and 11.

Haliburton hasn't played since June 22, 2025, when he tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City. He had surgery the next day. Indiana finished the previous season 19-63 without him. In 2024-25, over 73 games, he averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists, shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.8% from three, earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team.

On Aug. 12, during a media availability at the Pacers' practice facility, Haliburton stated he would be prepared to play if the season began that day.

Training camp begins on Sept. 29. Indiana's regular season starts on Oct. 21 with a game in New Orleans and their home opener against Dallas on Oct. 23. The schedule features 11 games that will be broadcast nationally.

On Nov. 7, the Pacers will play abroad when they face the Nuggets at Arena CDMX in the NBA Mexico City Game 2026, their first regular-season game in Mexico City.