Dana Hunsinger Benbow

dana.benbow@indystar.com

Imagine. Just imagine this.

You're a peon Indianapolis reporter from some local paper. And you have a story to write. It's on the Indiana Pacers.

Maybe it's about Saturday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Or maybe about coach Frank Vogel. Whatever it is, you need to contact the team.

So, you do what any peon reporter does. You call up the Pacers media department.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Indiana Pacers, PG here," says the voice on the other end.

PG?

PG as in Paul George? As in PG-13? It can't be. Not Paul George.

OK. It's not. But it could be.

George has officially been credentialed a Pacers public relations intern for the entire season, as he sits out mending his broken leg.

We're guessing that DOES NOT mean he's been fielding calls from those pesky media people. Or planning Pacers-related events. Or whipping up press releases.

But he does sit at the press table during games next to the real media relations director, David Benner. And Benner is the guy who gets credit for hiring George as an intern.

It all started as a safety precaution. George would sit at the press table -- instead of on the Pacers bench -- just to make sure his leg was out of harm's way should a wayward player fly off the court and land on top of that leg.

"Finally, I started joking with him that 'if you're going to sit here, I'm going to make you my intern,' " said Benner. "He laughed and said, 'OK.' "

So, one game, the Pacers gave George a single game staff credential. But he didn't have a seat card, as the other people at the press table did, with his name showing where he would sit.

"He said, "How come I don't have a seat card?' " Benner said.

The Pacers fixed that. They printed one up that read: "Young Trece Pacers PR Intern." And just to be sure George truly felt a part of the media department, the team made a 2014-15 season-long staff credential for George, complete with his picture.

"It's just been a fun joke through the whole process," said Benner.

George seems to be taking it more seriously than a fun joke. He wore his credentials the entire game against Charlotte on Wednesday.

No one has yet come up at games to ask George to do any official media relations business, said Benner.

"Because he doesn't know what he's doing," Benner said, laughing.

Follow Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow.