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Wheat Hotchkiss

Age: 20Years Pro: 1Status: Entering second year of rookie contractKey Stats: Appeared in 33 games as a rookie, averaging 3.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 10.3 minutes per game. Shot 40 percent from 3-point range on 55 attempts. Averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 19 games on assignment with the Indiana Mad Ants in the G League.

The Pacers drafted Jarace Walker as a 19-year-old out of the University of Houston with a long-term view. Walker's rookie year was always going to be about his continued development. The eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft got extended minutes to hone his game in the G League while also spending plenty of time learning from his veteran teammates in the NBA.

And when he got his opportunities on the court, Walker showed flashes of the potential that had the Pacers' front office so excited to pick him last summer.

"When we drafted Jarace, I think we saw potential for a two-way player," Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said. "I think we saw potential for a guy that could make plays with the ball, could really pass, had a high IQ."

Walker saw limited playing time with the Blue & Gold early in his rookie season, appearing in just eight NBA games before New Year's Day. Most of his minutes were mop-up duty late in blowouts, but he did get thrown in the rotation for the first time on Dec. 16 in Minnesota with the Pacers on the second night of a back-to-back and missing three rotation players due to injury. The 6-8 forward equipped himself well, tallying five points on 2-of-3 shooting (1-of-2 from 3-point range), two rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 24 minutes.

Walker got another opportunity on the Pacers' West Coast road trip in January, where he saw extended minutes in three games.

He stuffed the stat sheet with eight points, four rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks in 26 minutes on Jan. 15 in Utah.

"Jarace has some special abilities, and he showed a lot of those tonight – his vision and playmaking," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said following the game.

Three nights later, Walker set a career high with 15 points, going 6-for-13 from the field and 3-for-8 from beyond the arc, in a win at Sacramento. He narrowly missed out on a double-double three nights later in Phoenix, tallying 10 points and nine boards in 18 minutes.

While he impressed on the road trip, Walker's role was limited for the remainder of the season simply because the players in front of him didn't miss any games. Obi Toppin played in all 82 games and Pascal Siakam appeared in the final 41 games after being acquired from Toronto in mid-January, which meant there simply weren't many openings for Walker to see the floor. The rookie played double-digit minutes just seven times in the second half of the season.

The good news for Walker was that while opportunities were limited in the NBA, he was able to get extended playing time throughout the season in the G League with the Indiana Mad Ants. Because the Pacers' G League affiliate relocated to Indianapolis from Fort Wayne, Walker had several opportunities to play G League games without having to make a drive or catch a flight, a convenience that allowed him at times to play a G League game in the afternoon and then be available off the bench for an NBA game that night.

Walker got to be a primary offensive option when he was with the Mad Ants and had some big nights, averaging 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Most importantly, Walker proved to be an efficient scorer, posting a .473 field goal percentage and a .380 3-point percentage while taking over seven threes per game.

In addition to his time with the Mad Ants, Walker also appeared in 33 regular season games with the Blue & Gold. He averaged just 10.3 minutes per game, but showed flashes on both ends of the skills that enticed the Pacers to draft him. While Indiana viewed him primarily as a power forward at this stage in his career, he demonstrated his ability to handle the ball and create for others on offense and his potential to guard multiple positions effectively on the other end with his length and athleticism. He also got a taste of the playoffs at the end of his rookie year, receiving limited minutes in nine of Indiana's 17 games during the Pacers' run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The most impressive development in Walker's rookie season was the emergence of his 3-point shot. Not only did he shoot the ball well in the G League, he also went 22-for-55 (40 percent) from beyond the arc in NBA games. Buchanan termed that development "a great surprise" that has expanded the franchise's view of Walker's positional fit, as they now feel confident he could play on the wing as well as the four spot.

While Walker didn't see a ton of minutes as a rookie, the Pacers envision his role expanding over the coming years. He's still very young — he won't turn 21 until September. And Indiana's roster could look different next fall, as both Siakam and Toppin are free agents this summer.

"Things have got to fall into place for a young player to get an opportunity," Buchanan said. "That didn't happen very often for Jarace (as a rookie), but that doesn't have anything to say about our belief in him long term.

"As we told him in his exit interview, (his) growth and development is a big component of us taking another step, whether that's immediately or a year or two down the round. We're still big believers in Jarace and think there's a lot of things that he can do that this roster needs."

June 3: Tyrese HaliburtonJune 4: Aaron NesmithJune 5: T.J. McConnellJune 6: Andrew NembhardJune 7: Myles TurnerJune 8: Ben SheppardJune 9: Jalen SmithJune 10: Pascal SiakamJune 11: Obi ToppinJune 12: Bennedict MathurinJune 13: Jarace WalkerJune 14: Isaiah JacksonJune 15: Doug McDermottJune 16: James JohnsonJune 17: Kendall Brown

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Player Review 2024: Jarace Walker

The Pacers will hold their fourth pre-draft workout in preparation for the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday, June 13 at the Ascension St. Vincent Center.

The first workout group includes Jalen Bridges (Baylor), DJ Burns (North Carolina State), Jesse Edwards (West Virginia), Xavier Johnson (Indiana), Antonio Reeves (Kentucky), and Kalil Thomas (Morehead State).

PROSPECT BIOS: Bridges >> Burns >> Edwards >>   Johnson >>   Reeves >>   Thomas >>

The Pacers currently have three second-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft — the 36th, 49th, and 50th overall selections. New this year, the draft will be held over two nights. The first round will be on Wednesday, June 26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the second round will be on Thursday, June 27 at ESPN's Seaport District Studios in Manhattan.

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Pacers to Hold Fourth Pre-Draft Workout on Thursday, June 13

Jordan Morey

Age: 21Years Pro: 2Status: Entering third year of rookie contractKey Stats: Averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 26.1 minutes per game in 59 appearances. Shot 44.6 percent from the field (37.4 percent from 3-point range) and 82.1 percent from the free throw line. Recorded career-high 34 points twice 12 times and 30+ four times. Led the league’s highest-scoring bench unit in points before season-ending shoulder injury.

Coming off one of the most successful rookie campaigns in Pacers franchise history, Bennedict Mathurin held high expectations for himself and the Blue & Gold heading into his sophomore season.

The sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, known for his hyper-competitive personality, atypical athleticism, and fiery demeanor, worked tirelessly throughout the offseason to sharpen his passing ability and shooting efficiency while improving his overall defensive skill set.

Once the regular season came around, the wing's hard work immediately showed, as Mathurin led the league’s top-scoring bench in points while shooting career-best percentages and upping his assists totals.

Mathurin, perhaps the Pacers’ top one-on-one scorer, drained more corner threes than the year prior, often opted to make extra passes instead of going for tough, contested shots, and reduced his turnovers while willing to play with any group on the floor.

At the midway point of the season, Mathurin’s improvements shined on the national stage. During All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, as he was named MVP during the Panini Rising Stars event in a field loaded with young talent and won the Skills Challenge with teammates Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner.

After riding so many highs through the first six months, Mathurin's sophomore season ended abruptly, as a shoulder injury forced him to watch the Pacers’ Eastern Conference Finals run from the sidelines.

On March 5 in Dallas, his 59th appearance of the season, Mathurin collided with P.J. Washington while going after a loose ball and tore the labrum in his right shoulder. In true Mathurin fashion, he finished the game,&nbsp; recording 19 points, in a 147-120 victory against a team now playing in the NBA Finals.

A few days after the injury, the team announced that Mathurin would be shut down for the remainder of the season and undergo surgery.

During his season, Mathurin averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He improved his overall field goal percentage from 43.4 to 44.6 percent compared to his rookie year and also knocked down 37.4 percent of his 3-pointers compared to 32.3 percent the year prior. His free throw shooting stayed at 82 percent, turnovers slightly decreased and assists increased.

One of the main points Mathurin said he&nbsp;wanted to focus on in his second year was trusting his teammates more. Before going pro, Mathurin said he had never played on a team where he wasn’t the best player, and it was a bit of an adjustment early on with the Pacers since he wasn't the team's focal point.

"Just playing along with the team, just buying in and doing what's right for the team. That was the main thing for me this season, just to be able to play through the system, having fun with my teammates and just competing at the highest level,” Mathurin said. “I feel like I've done a good job, obviously better than my rookie season. It's all about adjusting."

While he couldn’t play, Mathurin could always be found alongside his teammates during playoff games, cheering them on from the bench and providing observations from the sidelines.

For a person like Mathurin, sitting out with an injury was, at times, more excruciating than a torn shoulder itself.

“It was hard. I think it was harder than expected,” Mathurin said. “Watching the playoffs, watching the guys have fun and just being out there and competing at the highest level was hard for sure. I think, as a positive side of it, just seeing the guys out there hooping...I feel like it definitely builds fire into me going into next season.”

Mathurin said he did find personal positives in the postseason run,&nbsp; as his injury provided him with an opportunity to see the game from a different perspective and grow closer with his teammates in a way he hadn’t before. In addition to socializing and other team-building events, Mathurin would bring homemade baked goods to the team on numerous occasions.

“That has been the biggest emphasis, and I would say the biggest growth for me, just expressing myself a little bit more to my teammates,” Mathurin said. “I think they know about me on the court, I’m super competitive, sometimes overly competitive...It gave me the opportunity to connect with them a little more.”

Indiana’s coaching staff, players and front office have continually made it clear that the 6-foot-5, 210-pound, 21-year-old is a big part of the franchise’s future plans.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Mathurin is healing much faster than anticipated, and he expects him to be around Team Canada during the Olympics this summer in Paris even though he likely won’t be ready to play. Indiana teammate Andrew Nembhard is also expected to represent Canada at the Olympics.

“Benn Mathurin has a chance to be a star-caliber player for the Indiana Pacers," Carlisle said. "He has gotten to see over the last 2 1/2 months what wins. It is defense, speed, quick decision-making and recognition. His workouts this summer are going to be geared toward fast, efficient, quick decision making and developing defensively. He has the ability to be a terrific two-way player in this league.”

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Player Review 2024: Bennedict Mathurin

The Pacers will hold their third pre-draft workout in preparation for the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday, June 12 at the Ascension St. Vincent Center.

The first workout group includes Yongxi Cui (China), Thijs de Ridder (Belgium), Jack Gohlke (Oakland), Emanuel Miller (TCU), Ajay Mitchell (UC-Santa Barbara), and Tyson Walker (Michigan State).

PROSPECT BIOS: Cui >>   de Ridder >>   Gohlke >>   Miller >>   Mitchell >>   Walker >>

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Pacers to Hold Third Pre-Draft Workout on Wednesday, June 12

Age: 26Years Pro: 4Status: Restricted free agentKey Stats: Set career highs across the board, averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 57.3 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from 3-point range in the regular season. Only player to play in all 82 games, starting 28. Averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in the playoffs on 54.1 percent shooting (35.7 percent from 3-point range).

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Obi Toppin 2023-24 Season Highlights | Indiana Pacers

While it wasn't as flashy as signing Tyrese Haliburton to a long-term extension or acquiring a two-time All-Star in Pascal Siakam, the Pacers trading for Obi Toppin last summer was a pivotal move that played a crucial role in Indiana's return to the playoffs and run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023-24.

Toppin fit in seamlessly with the Pacers — both on the court and off — in his first season in Indiana. He was a natural fit in the Blue & Gold's up-tempo offense with his penchant for running the floor and catching lobs from Haliburton and T.J. McConnell. In the locker room, his upbeat personality allowed him to mesh quickly with his teammates in a young and close-knit locker room.

The 6-9 forward out of the University of Dayton began the year as the starting power forward and had some strong early season performances. Less than a month into the season, Toppin went off for 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting, helping lead Indiana to a big-time win at Philadelphia in the In-Season Tournament on Nov. 14. He also reached double figures in all three of the Pacers' Knockout Round games in the IST in early December.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle made the decision to move Toppin to the second unit in January, a move that became permanent once Indiana pulled off the trade for Siakam. Toppin handled the change without complaint and continued to be productive coming off the bench.

He scored in double figures in 13 of 18 games from Jan. 1 - Feb. 1 and also had a strong close to the regular season, averaging 13.7 points over seven games in April as Indiana went 5-2 over that stretch to secure a playoff berth.

After averaging 7.4 points per game last season in New York, Toppin saw his scoring average jump to a career-best 10.3 points per contest. He thrived in the Pacers' high-paced attack, throwing down 102 dunks on the season — the first Pacer in many years to surpass 100 dunks.

While his windmills and between-the-legs slams got the fans out of their seats, Toppin's improved 3-point shot helped open things up for him offensively. Playing alongside Haliburton and McConnell created a lot more catch-and-shoot looks for Toppin and he converted those looks at a high rate. After shooting just 32.5 percent from 3-point range in three seasons with the Knicks, Toppin went 102-for-253 (40.3 percent) from beyond the arc in his first year in Indiana.

Toppin was one of just three players in the league to have 100 dunks and 100 made threes in the season, joining a list that also included rookie sensations Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.

He also was the only Pacer to play in all 82 games in the regular season.

"I thought he really blossomed as the year grew on," Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said of Toppin. "We envisioned him being a good fit on a team that played fast and he was exactly that. His 3-point shooting really developed and improved as we saw this year."

Toppin played a key role in the Pacers' playoff run. He scored in double figures in the last four games of the first-round series with Milwaukee, setting a playoff career-high with 21 points along with eight rebounds off the bench as Indiana closed out the series in Game 6.

He averaged just under 10 points per game and shot 43.8 percent from 3-point range in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where the Pacers prevailed over Toppin's old team in seven games. Toppin then had three double-figure games in the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. Over 17 playoff games, he averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 54.1 percent from the field.

Throughout the year, Carlisle and Toppin's teammates sang his praises for what he brought to the locker room. His willingness to move to the bench allowed Indiana to bring in Siakam without disrupting team chemistry. Toppin proved to be a versatile player who could fit alongside either Myles Turner or Siakam in the frontcourt.

“I thought Obi had a tremendous year for us," Buchanan said. "He brings a lot of things that we look for and qualities in a person. He loves being in the gym, loves being part of a team, brings a great attitude, a great smile, a great infectious energy every day, which adds to your culture and adds to the vibe of your team."

Toppin is a restricted free agent this summer. With the Pacers also focused on re-signing Siakam, Toppin's future is uncertain, but Buchanan made it clear that while nothing is guaranteed in contract negotiations, the Pacers "would like to continue the relationship" with Toppin if both sides can find a deal that makes sense.

Regardless of what the future holds, Toppin's impact on the 2023-24 Pacers won't soon be forgotten.

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Player Review 2024: Obi Toppin

Age: 30Years Pro: 8Status: Unrestricted free agentKey Stats: Started 41 games after being acquired from Toronto on Jan. 17. Led team in scoring (21.3 points per game) and rebounding (7.8) while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from 3-point range. Averaged 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in the playoffs on 54.1 percent shooting.

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Pascal Siakam 2023-24 Season Highlights | Indiana Pacers

Around the midway point of the 2023-2024 NBA season, the Indiana Pacers shook up their roster in a major way.

On Jan. 17, less than a month before the trade deadline, the Pacers made a splash by acquiring 6-foot-8 power forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three future picks.

The two-time All-NBA selection, who spent nearly eight years in Toronto and won a championship with the Raptors in 2019, fit in seamlessly with the Blue & Gold from the jump and went on to play a significant role in helping Indiana advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a decade.

In hindsight, the Pacers’ gamble of trading for Siakam couldn’t have gone much better.

At the time of the trade, Indiana needed to upgrade its power forward position and add a veteran presence to its locker room.

On the floor, Siakam provided an arsenal of offensive weapons in his bag – particularly from the midrange – while improving the defense with his long frame.

The Cameroonian also brought a multitude of intangibles to one of the youngest, fastest rosters in the NBA. In Toronto, Siakam helped the Raptors to multiple deep playoff runs, including coming back from down 2-0 in a series and playing in Game 7s – experience the Pacers would lean on during their 2024 playoff run.

For Siakam, the change of scenery also couldn't have turned out better.

“’I’m so grateful and happy that I came to a place where you just feel so supported and feel like you’re needed, and you feel like you matter,” Siakam said. “As a player, that’s all you can really ask for. I’m blessed to be able to be here and have the season that we had and come into a group of guys that it really mattered for them to be able to compete. I am just happy to be a part of that, and for me as a player that’s all I can really ask for. I (give) everything to the places where I am, and for me to be here and to come here and see how the support has been so incredible. It warms my heart. I’m blessed.”

In 41 games for the Pacers during the regular season, Siakam averaged 21.3 points on an outstanding 54.9 percent shooting while also pulling down 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He recorded 10 double-doubles before the playoffs, as he and 2024 All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton, veteran center Myles Turner, and the rest of the roster adapted to each other’s skillsets.

While his body of work during the regular season was just half a season, Siakam finished leading the league’s top-scoring offense with his 21.3 nightly points average.

The Pacers wasted no time inserting Siakam into the starting lineup, as he played just over 34 minutes on Jan. 19 and recorded 21 points and six rebounds with his new teammates.&nbsp;A week later, against the Philadelphia 76ers, Siakam posted a triple-double of 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.

While his game often wasn’t flashy, Siakam provided the Pacers with the consistency they needed night in and night out on both ends of the floor during the regular season. Siakam also played a significant role in helping the Pacers’ defense climb from the bottom of the NBA to the middle of the pack by the playoffs.

After the Siakam trade, the Pacers went 23-18 to close the regular season.

In the postseason, Siakam continued leading the team in points, averaging 21.6 per game, and also in rebounds (7.5) as the sixth-seeded Pacers advanced past the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and second-seeded New York Knicks before falling to the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

Siakam immediately set the tone for the Pacers’ playoff run, collecting 36 points and 13 rebounds in Game 1 in Milwaukee and dropping 37 points and 11 boards in Game 2. Game 2 proved a pivotal win, as the Pacers went on to hold home court to keep their season alive.

Against the Knicks, Siakam averaged 20 points on 52.8 percent shooting and had 6.4 rebounds per game.

The Pacers fell behind 2-0 to the Knicks, but came back to beat New York in seven games – the first time the Pacers ever surmounted such a deficit in a seven-game playoff series.

Indiana never panicked during the Knicks series, and Pacers players routinely credited Siakam with helping the team stay calm and focused throughout the ups and downs of playing the Knicks.

Siakam continued to ball out against Boston, averaging 23.3 points and 7.5 rebounds, but the Pacers finally ran out of gas in the Eastern Conference Finals.

While the 30-year-old is a free agent this summer, the Pacers hope to keep him in Indianapolis for years to come.

Siakam couldn't comment on contract specifics after the Game 4 loss to Boston but showed indications the feeling could be mutual.

“All I can say is that it has been a blessing,” Siakam said. “I’m really appreciative of everything. I think, coming from where I come from, it means a lot. The support I have received here is something I was kind of missing. Having all that, and seeing how a city just breathes basketball and how much support they give to the team...just being here for the home games, it’s incredible. How wouldn’t you want to be a part of that? I think, for me, I’m just really blessed and happy with how this has been. And I think in terms of the future, whatever happens is going to happen.”

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle and Haliburton have made it clear that the team’s No. 1 priority over the summer is to keep Siakam with the Blue & Gold, and they will do whatever they can to help make it happen.

“He knows I'll be texting him nonstop and calling him nonstop,” Haliburton said. “...I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure Pascal Siakam is in a Pacer uniform next year."

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Player Review 2024: Pascal Siakam

Age: 24Years Pro: 4Status: Has player option on contract for 2024-25 seasonKey Stats: Averaged career-high 9.9 points per game over 61 regular season games (14 starts). Also averaged 5.5 rebounds and shot career-best 59.2 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range. Played in seven of 17 playoff games.

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Jalen Smith 2023-24 Season Highlights | Indiana Pacers

In his fourth NBA season and his third in Indiana, Jalen Smith played a significant role in helping the Pacers get back to the playoffs.

The 6-9 big man beat out Isaiah Jackson for the backup center spot in training camp and got off to a strong start to the season. Smith had 13 points and eight rebounds in just 13 minutes off the bench in the season opener on Oct. 25 against Washington and scored in double figures in seven of his first 10 contests.

Injuries to his left knee and heel sidelined Smith for 10 games in late November and early December, but he returned just before Christmas and picked up where he left off, reaching double figures in four straight contests.

The biggest key to Smith's early-season success was that he shot the absolute lights out of the ball. He didn't take a ton of attempts, but Smith knocked down seemingly every open shot from 3-point range over the first few months of the season. In 19 games before New Year's Day, Smith went 22-for-35 from beyond the arc, an eye-popping 62.9 percent.

Though his 3-point percentage dipped to more normal levels in 2024, Smith still had several strong performances over the rest of the regular season. He started 12 games at power forward and one at center in January, when he reached double figures in eight contests and recorded three double-doubles.

Smith had 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting and a season-high 13 rebounds in a win at Sacramento on Jan. 18, tallied 13 points and 10 boards in a victory over his former team (Phoenix) on Jan. 26, and registered 19 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks two nights later in another victory over Memphis.

Smith scored a season-best 20 points on Feb. 1 at Madison Square Garden, when he went 9-for-11 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. He remained in the rotation through the conclusion of the regular season, reaching double figures nine more times after the All-Star break.

Overall, it was a very solid regular season for Smith, who was a dependable and productive player off the bench. He played a significant role in Indiana leading the NBA in bench scoring for the second straight year, averaging 9.9 points per game, and was highly efficient, shooting 59.2 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range. Though his 3-point percentage fluctuated from month to month, Smith's field goal percentage was consistently high all season, never dipping below 54 percent in any month.

The advanced stats lay out just how valuable Smith's contributions were. Only three players in Indiana's rotation scored more points per minute than Smith — Indiana's three star players: Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, and Tyrese Haliburton. Smith was also the Pacers' best rebounder, pulling down 11.6 boards per 36 minutes, the highest rate of anyone on the team.

Smith saw limited minutes in the postseason. He had two points and seven rebounds in 13 minutes in Game 1 against Milwaukee in the first round, but head coach Rick Carlisle shortened his rotation after that loss, rolling with only Siakam, Turner, and Obi Toppin in the frontcourt for next few games. Carlisle gave Jackson a chance later in the series and the third-year big man was productive, so he remained in the rotation ahead of Smith for the remainder of the playoffs.

While his role was limited in the postseason, Smith was still instrumental in helping the Pacers get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Should he return next season (Smith has a player option for 2024-25), Smith could very well have another significant impact in the second unit.

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Player Review 2024: Jalen Smith

Age: 22Years Pro: 1Status: Entering second year of rookie contractKey Stats: Appeared in 57 regular season games as a rookie, averaging 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. Played in all 17 games in the playoffs (starting two games) and averaged 5.2 points and 3 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range.

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Ben Sheppard 2023-24 Season Highlights | Indiana Pacers

Ben Sheppard’s rookie season went from playing in the G League to starting for the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

When the Pacers picked Sheppard with the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, they saw an athletic, 6-foot-6 wing with a high motor on defense who could run the floor and hit open 3-pointers.

What Indiana got was all that and much more.

In the fall, the Belmont product and Atlanta native played 10 games for the Indiana Mad Ants, averaging 18.3 points on 43.5 percent shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, before getting called up to the Pacers full-time around the midway point of the regular season.

After playing just 13 games during the 2023 portion of the schedule, Sheppard solidified himself as a key rotational piece for the Pacers and spark plug off the bench. After the turn of the new year, Sheppard played in 44 of 49 games, including in the last 20 straight.

Sheppard, 22, finished his rookie season averaging 4.4 points on 39.3 percent shooting (31.4 percent from 3-point range), scored in double figures six times, and pulled down 1.6 rebounds across 14.3 minutes per game. Post-All-Star break, his numbers inflated to 6.0 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

On Feb. 14, Sheppard registered his first big-time highlight after starting forward Aaron Nesmith went down with an ankle injury against the Toronto Raptors. After Sheppard’s number was called, he played 21 minutes, scored 10 points, pulled down 10 rebounds, and came up with a game-sealing stop in a one-on-one matchup with RJ Barrett in the final seconds.

Due to injuries to Nesmith, Doug McDermott, and eventually Bennedict Mathurin, Sheppard saw more floor time after the Toronto game, which allowed him to build trust with his teammates and coaches.

On Feb. 25, Sheppard finished one 3-pointer shy of breaking Indiana’s rookie record for treys in a game, as he set a career-high for points with 15 on 5-for-5 3-point shooting in 12 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks, a team now playing in the NBA Finals.

“Ben Sheppard is a constant,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said in February. “You know what you're going to get. You’re going to get high energy, great effort, playing within the system, stepping into open shots and making unselfish plays. That’s why we love him and why his teammates love playing with him.”

For Sheppard, there wasn’t one game or moment when he realized he was ready for the pro level.

“I’m not sure there's a moment, but when I get called off the bench for a few minutes to guard a star player in the NBA, just building that confidence on the defensive end just made me realize I can really guard and I can really play in this league,” Sheppard said. “Not a specific moment, but a lot of moments throughout the year.”

Sheppard played in all 17 playoff games for the Pacers, recording a playoff-best 11 points in Game 2 against the New York Knicks in the semifinals.

After All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton injured his hamstring in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Sheppard started at the two guard in Games 3 and 4. He was also tasked with guarding Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jaylen Brown, among other assignments, in the last two games.

Sheppard said he couldn’t have imagined his rookie season going this way, and he’s grateful for all of the experiences in such a short time.

“It’s been a lot of learning, growing, staying ready,” Sheppard said. “I think my rookie year has been a lot, going from not playing to starting in the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s been a great year and there’s a lot to be proud of, and I’m excited for the future.”

Pacers veterans Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell have praised Sheppard’s development throughout the season, said they saw signs early he would contribute thanks to his defensive skills, and believed he has big things ahead of him for the franchise.

“He’s going to be modest, but he’s a legend, man,” Turner said. “Ain’t no rookie starting in the Eastern Conference Finals – that’s unheard of.”

Pacers fans may not have to wait long to see Sheppard on the floor again, as he will be eligible to play during the July Summer League.