It's an honor reserved for those who can bring the noise, energy, and spirit to the fans at Lucas Oil Stadium.

And no one has energized the fans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season like Pacers guard Victor Oladipo.

So on Thursday night, the Colts invited him down to the field before the start of the Colts game against the Denver Broncos.

He tossed a football around while taking in the sights and sounds of his first NFL game.

And when his big moment arrived, he was ready.

"Colts fans, please welcome Indiana Pacers guard and NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Victor Oladipo," said Colts stadium announcer Mike Jansen.

The cheers came up – his arms went up – and the hammer came down.

Pounding the anvil is a new tradition at Lucas Oil Stadium this season. Following in the footsteps of Colts alumni players, military service members, and even a Hollywood star, Oladipo was honored to bring his own brand of hype to the fans just down the street from where he plays.

"It felt awesome to come out here and see the fans in a different environment," he said. "It's the first city I've played in where there was a major football team. Indiana is big in sports in general, so to have the Colts and the Pacers here is huge for these people."

The current Pacers star and former Hoosiers star grew up in Maryland, spent his college years in Bloomington, and was taken by The Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons in Orlando and one season in Oklahoma City before being traded to the Pacers before the start of this season.

For Oladipo, returning to Indiana was coming home.

"This is my city," he likes to say.

He's said it so much, he doesn't even have to say it anymore – he just puts his arms in the air and points to the ground.

"I embrace this city. I went to college here. I'm just happy to be a Pacer and I wanted the fans to know it," he said. "Everything happens for a reason and I'm just glad to be able to come out here and share this experience with these fans."

As both a Pacer and a Hoosier, he knows how much those fans mean on game day.

"We need them. Both organizations need them – football with the Colts and basketball with the Pacers. We need all our fans. Like our sixth man, when they get going and when they're energetic, we feed off that."

Indianapolis is a sports city.

The fans make it a special city.

Victor Oladipo has declared it his city.

And he's also declared it something else.

"It's home for me."

Welcome home, Victor.

We're happy to share our city with you.