Luke Kennard in the NBA: Special tickets offered for local fans

The Indiana Pacers are making it easier for local basketball fans to see Franklin High School product Luke Kennard, a rookie with the Detroit Pistons.

Franklin City Schools Night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse will be Nov. 17 when the Pacers host the Pistons.

Tickets are available for $75, $40, $35 and $20. Balcony seats, priced at $35 and $20, include a hot dog, chips and drink, a Pacers souvenir hat and an opportunity to shoot a free throw after the game. Deadline to order tickets is Oct. 6. Order on-line at www.pacersgroups.com/franklincityschools and the password code is Luke.

RELATED: Franklin cheers ‘favorite son’ Luke Kennard going No. 12 in NBA Draft

Franklin Athletic Director Brian Bales said the ticket offer is open to the public and the district isn’t making money on ticket sales. He said this is an opportunity to see Kennard when he will play the closest to the area. Indianapolis is two hours away, while Detroit is four hours away.

After two seasons at Duke University, Kennard, 2015 Franklin High School graduate, was drafted by the Pistons with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

RELATED: McCrabb: Kennards make a great team

Bales said Kennard, 21, has started golfing and has played at Wildwood Golf Club in Middletown a couple of times this summer. Golfing is “very challenging” to Kennard, also a standout quarterback, said Bales.

Bales plans to attend a Pistons’ practice next week, and to think that one of his former players will be on the court is “surreal,” he said.

RELATED: 5 things to know about Franklin’s Luke Kennard

Since being drafted Kennard has remained in the news. Earlier this year, Savannah Chrisley, 20, of the “Chrisley Knows Best” reality TV show, and Kennard started dating and they attended the NBA Draft together. They dated for four months, then broke off the relationship this summer.

He’s also starting to make commercials. He appears on a White Allen Chevrolet commercial that’s being shown on Dayton TV stations.

Kennard is “a really good ambassador” for companies because of his spotless off-court behavior, Bales said. Kennard has more than 80,000 followers on Twitter.

“He has carried himself well in the public eye,” Bales said. “He’s easy to pull for.”

About the Author