PACERS ALSO SELECT BEN SHEPPARD WITH THE 26TH OVERALL PICK AND ISAIAH WONG WITH THE 55TH OVERALL PICK; ACQUIRE DRAFT RIGHTS TO MOJAVE KING
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers agreed in principle to acquire the draft rights to forward Jarace (JARE-us) Walker, the 8th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, as part of a trade to be finalized later that involves the Washington Wizards.
While at the University of Houston, Walker was named the AAC Rookie of the Year and was voted to the All-AAC Second Team after averaging 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game on 47% shooting from the floor.
Additionally, the Pacers selected guard Ben Sheppard with the 26th overall pick and guard Isaiah Wong with the 55th overall pick. In a separate trade, the Indiana Pacers also acquired the draft rights to guard Mojave King, the 47th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Sheppard completed his career at Belmont with back-to-back All-MVC First Team honors after averaging 18.8 points on 48% shooting from the field and 42% from three-point range during his senior season. Wong, the ACC Player of the Year, led the University of Miami in scoring at 16.2 points per game while leading the Hurricanes to their first ever Final Four appearance. King, a New Zealand native, played in 30 games with the G League Ignite and averaged 25.1 minutes per game, 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor.
Walker will wear #1 and Sheppard will wear #26 with the Pacers.