<a href="https://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/pacers.dart/homepage_300x250;sz=300x250;ord=[timestamp]?" target="_blank"><img src="https://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/pacers.dart/homepage_300x250;sz=300x250;ord=[timestamp]?" width="300" height="250" border="0" alt=""></a>
Your browser does not support iframes.
Pacers Host Seventh (and Final?) Predraft Workout
Pacers host smallest workout yet; only two players invited
by Jeff Tzucker | June 26, 2012 | Updated: June 27, 2012
The Indiana Pacers hosted their seventh (and presumably final) predraft workout on Wednesday, June 27, just one day before the 2012 NBA Draft.
The workout was held in front of newly-appointed Pacers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh and new Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard. Larry Bird, who recently resigned from his post as President of Basketball Operations, was in attendance as well as he plans to work through the draft.
The workout was notable for its size (only two players were invited) and for having some local flavor with former Indiana high school standout guard Marquis Teague attending. Along with Teaque, Darius Johnson-Odom from Marquette participated in a one-on-one scrimmage with the coaching staff filling positions on the floor to move the players through game-play type drills.
Teague, the 6'2" point guard for NCAA Champion Kentucky, has come to expect drills like this: His brother, Jeff, plays guard for the Atlanta Hawks and has helped smooth the transition.
"He's helped me a lot, ya know." said Marquis. "He gave me the inside scoop on how the workouts are and what to be ready for."
Still, Marquis admitted that hearing about the predraft process and actually living it are two different things.
"It's a lot different when you're actually going through it. I know my first workout caught me off guard, in Cleveland. So, I just made an adjustment and I was fine from there."
Asked about adjusting to the NBA, he noted, "[The NBA] is a lot more physical, and the game, it's just a lot faster, guys make open shots every single time they get them. So, you gotta do all the little things, all the details matter in the NBA."
Along with gaining experience at the workouts, Teaque was excited about the possibility to play for the Pacers. "That would mean a lot, ya know, growing up watching the Pacers my whole life and Reggie Miller, until now. That would mean a lot to me to play for the home team."
The other player in attendance, Darius Johnson-Odom, is more of an underdog story, but is a formidable player in his own right. Strong with deceptive quickness and good jumping ability, the shooting guard from Marquette is looking to show clubs he can play point guard as well as shoot.
"I'm kind of surprising a lot of people because a lot of people just haven't gotten to seen me play up close." Johnson-Odom said. "I'm just trying to make an impression on every team I work out for."
When asked what he needed to work on, he was quick to respond. "Becoming a point guard. I can play the '2', I can play the '1', but I think a lot of people haven't been able to see me transition in to a '1'. Just trying to learn, take everything the coach tries to teach me."
See who the experts are picking for the Pacers in our Mock Draft section.