Alize Johnson

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The comparison might seem obvious, even lazy, but it's valid.

Aaron Holiday, the point guard selected by the Pacers with the 23rd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday, bears a lot of similarities to Darren Collison, the Pacers' incumbent starter. Not just because they both attended UCLA, and not because they're about the same size. They also happen to have a similar skill set and degree of athleticism.

Which could make Collison the perfect mentor for the rookie next season.

"We see a lot of similarities," Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said following the draft, in which the Pacers also took Missouri State forward Alize Johnson in the second round. "We see speed, we see elite shooting. We were shocked that he was there."

Holiday, the younger brother of two established NBA point guards — Jrue was a near-elite player with New Orleans last season and Justin had his best season yet with Chicago — was widely projected to go between six or seven spots higher in the draft. He is regarded as a "safe" pick, a player who should at least become a capable backup.

Despite the expectation Holiday would go higher than 23rd, the instant analysis from media outlets was mixed. ESPN declared the Pacers to be one of their six "big winners" in the draft. CBS Sports awarded them an "A-." Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, and SB Nation gave "B" grades, and The Sporting News, USA Today, and The Ringer handed out "C's."

The Pacers weren't able to bring in Holiday for a workout before the draft, but interviewed him extensively at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. They left convinced he would fit their culture for his humble nature, work ethic, and toughness.

2018 DRAFT CENTRAL: Complete Coverage at Pacers.com/Draft »

UCLA's coach, Steve Alford, spoke to those qualities in a distributed comment.

"He's such a driven young man with a burning desire to get better at both ends," Alford said. "It's hard for me to put into words what Aaron meant to our team. He was simply remarkable."

He'll also have to meet the demands of an NBA point guard, however. He isn't an exceptional athlete and is undersized at 6-foot-1, but has an unusually long wingspan at 6-foot-7.

Shooting is not a concern. Holiday hit better than 40 percent of his 3-pointers all three of his seasons at UCLA, including 43 percent last season, and 83 percent of his foul shots. He hit better than 45 percent of his 3-pointers off the catch last season, which could make him compatible with Victor Oladipo, who often handles the ball in the Pacers' offense.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers Select Aaron Holiday »

He's also an aggressive defender who averaged 1.2 steals. His  length could enable him to defend taller players effectively despite his lack of height.

Aaron Holiday (center) will join older brothers Jrue (left) and Justin (right) in the NBA. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

"He's a bulldog defender," Pritchard said. "He's as tough as they get. When we talk about players, the first thing we talk about is, is he tough. And he's that."

Holiday, clearly tired after enduring all the post-selection demands at the NBA Draft site in Brooklyn, wasn't expansive in his conference call with reporters, but clearly has followed the Pacers last season.

"You guys are very, very talented," he said. "Pretty young, actually.  I know you guys took LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games and the calls just didn't really go your way at the end. I know you guys are on the rise and I feel like I can come in and help you guys."

He'll find familiar faces in Indianapolis. He will join former UCLA teammates TJ Leaf and Ike Anigbogu, who were drafted by the Pacers last season. He also said he's met Collison, who last played at UCLA in the 2008-09 season, "a couple of times." And, Jrue's wife, Lauren, a former member of the U.S. national soccer team, is from Indianapolis.

Pritchard said he considers Holiday a potential starter down the road. If nothing else, he'll have veteran tutors next season. Without specifically saying it, Pritchard indicated Collison will be brought back for the second year of his contract — he only had a minimal guarantee for next season — and Cory Joseph already has turned in the paperwork to claim the option on the final year of his contract.

"He goes into the season behind Cory and Darren, but I see him competing for minutes," Pritchard said. "I would be shocked if he didn't play some this year.

Collison and Joseph will become free agents after next season, giving the Pacers a wide array of options at point guard, and giving Holiday an opportunity to step into a greater role.

"We felt we needed a point guard in the pipeline who could at least fill a backup role in the future. He has some characteristics of a starter."

Regardless of his future role, Holiday projects as someone who can carve out a long NBA career in Pritchard's opinion.

"He is going to be an NBA player," Pritchard said. "There are some guys you just sit and talk...he's going to be an NBA player."

Pritchard said he explored some trades to move up in both rounds of the draft. He had the asset of cap space, which would have enabled him to take on a big contract, but didn't find the right opportunity.

"There were a couple possibilities, but they just became too cost-prohibitive," Pritchard said.

"We had a guy targeted. We really wanted a (certain) player."

Johnson, a 6-9 forward, was described by Pritchard as a "bulldog" rebounder. He averaged 11.6 in 31.2 minutes per game at Missouri State last season, along with 15 points. A 5-9 point guard when he began high school, he has exceptional ballhandling skills for his size. He's not a perimeter scoring threat, having hit 28 percent of his 3-point shots last season.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers Select Alize Johnson »

"I wanted have a guy Nate could throw out into a game and go guard somebody in February," Pritchard said. "That just says, 'I don't care about anything. Just put me on the floor in February when everybody's going to be tired and I'm going to do something.' There are some guys who are just around the ball."

Pritchard said he's unsure of Thaddeus Young's intention regarding free agency. Young could return to the Pacers under the final year of his current deal, become a free agent, or sign a new contract with the Pacers.

"I've had a few conversations with his agent," Pritchard said. "At the end of the day it's his decision. We'd like to have him back."

Young has until June 29 to decide whether to opt in or out of his contract. At that point Pritchard will know his needs for next season, and how much money he'll have under the salary cap to spend on free agents or to put into uneven trades for players with larger contracts.

"Now the real games begin for us," he said.

Have a question for Mark? Want it to be on Pacers.com? Email him at askmontieth@gmail.com and you could be featured in his next mailbag.

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Indiana Pacers. All opinions expressed by Mark Montieth are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Indiana Pacers, their partners, or sponsors.

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Holiday Should Look Familiar to Pacers

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pacers-select-alize-johnson

Pacers Select Alize Johnson

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Friday in Indianapolis was a special day for the Davis family.

A.J. Davis, a 6-8 forward out of Central Florida, participated in a pre-draft workout for the Pacers at the St. Vincent Center, the same franchise where his father Antonio played a starring role in the '90s.

Across the street at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, his twin sister Kaela was preparing with her Dallas Wings teammates for a WNBA game against the Indiana Fever.

Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop headlined Friday's workout, but Davis drew just as big a crowd from the local media, eager to soak in his family's story.

The Pacers drafted Antonio Davis in the second round in 1990 and, after a stint overseas, the bruising forward was a mainstay in the Indiana frontcourt for six seasons from 1993-99. A.J. and Kaela were born in Indianapolis in 1995 and though they don't remember much from his time with the Pacers, they certainly understand his connection to the franchise. For A.J., it was "kind of surreal" to get the opportunity to put on a Pacers jersey, even if only for a day.

"To be back here now after everything my dad's done in this organization and having a chance to work out for (the Pacers), it's really humbling and a great honor," he said.

The younger Davis began his college career at Tennessee in 2013, but transferred to Central Florida after his freshman season. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game as a senior for the Golden Knights.

While his father was a physical inside presence, Davis' game is more perimeter-oriented, but he does believe that he inherited some of his dad's intangibles.

"I think we're very different, but I think the game's just changed and that's kind of what makes us different," Davis said. "But at the same time, we're similar.

"I think I play really hard, I play defense well, I rebound the ball really well, and I make tough basketball plays that not everybody's willing to make."

By coincidence, Davis' workout with the Pacers happened to be scheduled on the same day the Wings were in town. But both he and his sister — who is in her second WNBA season — are so focused on their own basketball pursuits, they didn't even realize they were both in Indianapolis until Friday morning.

While Kaela Davis was the 10th overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, her brother A.J. is considered a long shot to hear his name called on draft day. That doesn't mean he can't work his way into the league, though, as he'll likely have a chance to play for a team in Summer League and potentially earn a two-way contract.

He can draw inspiration from his father, who was the 45th overall pick in his draft class and didn't make his NBA debut until three years later, but eventually played 13 seasons in the league, including an All-Star selection while with the Toronto Raptors in 2001.

Whether A.J. Davis can replicate his father's success remains to be seen, but he's adopting the same mentality as he embarks on his own professional career.

"I think I play hard and I play basketball the right way," Davis said. "I can do a lot of different things on the basketball court."

SMU's Shake Milton (left), Missouri State's Alize Johnson (middle), and Cincinnati's Gary Clark (right) also participated in Friday's workout.

Sharpshooter Milton, Skilled Big Men Johnson and Clark Audition for Pacers

The other three prospects at Friday's workout may not have garnered as much media attention, but each could have value to an NBA team.

SMU point guard Shake Milton may even go in the first round of the draft, thanks to his size and shooting ability. Milton spent three seasons in Dallas (where he was teammates with current Pacers two-way player Ben Moore) and was a remarkably consistent sharpshooter.

He shot 42.6 percent from 3-point range as a freshman, 42.3 percent as a sophomore, and 43.4 percent as a junior. Each of those percentages comes from a substantial sample size, as he attempted at least 120 threes (and an average of at least four per game) in each of his three years in college.

Offense is not a question for Milton, who averaged 18.0 points and 4.4 assists in the 2017-18 season, though he missed the final 11 games with a right hand injury. His best game came in a road win at seventh-ranked Wichita State on Jan. 17, when he poured in 33 points on 11-of-14 shooting (5-of-6 from 3-point range) and dished out five assists.

Milton's size also could enable him to turn into a valuable defender at the next level. He measured out at 6-6 with a 7-feet-3/4 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine last month and is focusing hard on the defensive end during the pre-draft process.

"Being able to be a pesky defender, get after guys and alter shots and just make it tough for the offense, I think that's important," Milton said.

College basketball fans might not know Johnson, who spent two years at Missouri State after beginning his college career in junior college, but he is definitely on NBA teams' radars.

The 6-8 forward averaged a double-double in both of his seasons with the Bears, including 15 points and 11.6 rebounds as a senior.

For some players, being able to do one thing really well is enough to land you on an NBA roster. Johnson could fit that mold, as he is one of the best rebounders in this year's draft class.

"I just have a knack and a nose for going up and getting rebounds," he said. "It's something that I love to do. I'm just dedicated to going up there and grabbing it every time."

While skeptics might think Johnson's stats were inflated playing against weaker competition in the Missouri Valley Conference, his play at the combine suggests otherwise. Johnson averaged 17 points, 9.5 rebounds, and four assists in Chicago. That performance showed that he could develop into even more than just an energy guy who crashes the boards.

"Getting to play against these high-level guys, it really just shows me that I belong and I'm ready to compete with the best of the best," Johnson said.

Clark doesn't excel in one particular facet, but can do everything well. The 6-8 forward had a standout four-year career at Cincinnati, leaving as one of the most beloved players in school history.

As a senior, the 6-8 forward averaged 12.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from 3-point range. That versatility resulted in a bevy of honors. In the span of one week in March, Clark was named the American Athletic Conference's Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, tournament MVP, and Sportsmanship Award winner.

Despite his success in school, Clark will have to prove a few things to NBA teams. Even in the modern NBA, he is a little undersized for a post player and there are questions about his shooting ability (though he shot a high percentage from three as a senior, he only attempted 1.7 shots per game from beyond the arc). Nonetheless, Clark believes his all-around skill set can provide value at the next level.

"My principles remain the same," he said. "Being able to get steals, be active defensively, blocking shots, those things get me going offensively...I thrive on those plays."

Clark met former Cincinnati guard Lance Stephenson for the first time on Friday. The veteran Pacers guard had a workout in the St. Vincent Center immediately after his fellow Bearcat auditioned for Nate McMillan and the coaching staff.

Though they had not crossed paths before Friday, Clark was well aware of Stephenson's reputation.

"I have heard a couple stories," he said. "Just his intensity and competitiveness, whether it's in practice or a game...That competitiveness, it's within us at Cincinnati to always compete because your position is always on the line."

davis-hoping-to-follow-in-fathers-footsteps

Davis Hoping to Follow in Father's Footsteps

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Height: 6-8
Weight: 217
Position: PF
College: Missouri State
Age: 22

PPG: 15.0
RPG: 11.6
APG: 2.8
BLK: 0.4
STL: 0.5

Player BioCourtesy of Missouri State Athletics

2017-18
All-MVC first-team and NABC All-District first-team selection ... Finished second in MVC Player of the Year voting ... Led Bears in scoring (15.0), rebounding (11.6) and assists (2.8) as a senior ... Ranked second among all Division I players in defensive rebounds per game (8.48), 5th in total rebounds per game (11.6), 6th in total rebounds (384), 8th in double-doubles (20) and 31st in offensive rebounds per game (3.15) ... Was also one of the top 250 players nationally in free throws made (110), free throw attempts (145) and field goal atttempts (400) ... His 495 points ranked 29th on MSU season list, while his 384 rebounds ranked third ... Finished two-year career with 982 career points (29th in MSU history) and 735 boards (6th) ... Led MVC in rebounding for second year in a row ... Recorded 20th double-double of season with 22 points and 19 rebounds in MVC Tournament win over Valparaiso (3/1/18) with 8 offensive boards ... Set JQH single-season rebounding record (196) on final home date with 11 boards vs. Bradley (2/21/18) ... Registered 14 points and 16 rebounds in home loss to Drake (2/18/18) for his 19th double-double ... Notched 15 points and game-highs 16 rebounds and 5 assists at Southern Illinois (2/14/18) ... Eclipsed 900 career points vs. Evansville (2/10/18) with 7 assists ... Logged 28 points with career-high 5 3-pointers and 4 blocks at Indiana State (2/6/18) en route to being named MVC Player of the Week on 2/12/18 ... Produced 12 points, 10 rebounds vs. Illinois State (1/30/18) ... Came within one pont of a career high with 29 points and 12 rebounds in home loss to SIU (1/27/18) with 4 assists ... Snagged 11 boards at Drake (1/20/18) ... Led club with 21 points and 14 rebounds in home win over Valparaiso (1/17/18) for his 8th straight double-double ... Earned MVC Player of Week  honors on Jan. 15 for second time of the season ... Notched 21 points and 16 rebounds in home win over Indiana State (1/14/18) with a pair of assists ... Posted 16 points and 14 rebounds at Evansville (1/101/18) ... Logged 16 points and 12 boards at Illinois State (1/7/18) ... Produced his second 20-20 game and 10th double-double effort of the year in win over UNI (1/4/18) with 24 points, 20 rebounds and career-high 2 blocks ... Had 11 points and game-high 12 rebounds in win at Valparaiso (12/31/17) ... Earned MVC Player of Week on 12/26/17 for third time in his career after averaging 18.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 2-0 week ... Went 5-for-10 from 3-point range for 24 points and 11 rebounds in win over Final Four-bound Loyola squad (12/22/17) in Valley opener ... Had 12 points and 14 boards in win over Wright State (12/19/17) with game-high 4 assists ... Went 3-for-5 from three with team-highs 17 points and 12 rebounds in home win over Hampton (12/81/17) ... Posted fifth double-double in 10 games with 21 points and 10 rebounds in road win at North Dakota State (12/4/17) ... Knocked down three first-half treys and finished with game highs 20 points and 14 rebounds in win over South Dakota State (12/2/17) at Sanford Pentagon ... Led Bears in scoring (14), rebounds (8) and assists (4) in win over FAU (11/22/17) in Estero, Florida ... Scored game-winning layup with 12 seconds to go to lift Bears over Manhattan (11/21/17) and posted game-high 17 points ... Collected his third straight double-double with 17 points, 14 rebounds and team-high 4 assists vs. Georgia Southern (11/20/17) in the Gulf Coast Showcase opener with a 7-for-8 day at the line ... Posted just the second 20-20 game in the NCAA this season with a 23-point, 20-rebound effort against North Dakota State (11/17/17) ... Logged first double-double of the year in home win over Southern University (11/15/17) with 14 rebounds and 10 points with game-high 5 assists ... Had 13 points and 8 rebounds in season opener at Western Kentucky (11/10/17) ... 2017-18 MVC Preseason Valley Player of the Year ... Named to Karl Malone Award Watch List, Naismith Award Watch List, and Lou Henson Award Watch List in preseason.

2016-17
Declared for 2017 NBA Draft to go through pre-draft workouts and ultimately earned workout with Boston Celtics … Also played in Adidas Nations event in Houston in August 2017, earning Most Valuable Player and All-Tournament honors as one of 36 college counselors at the premier evaluation camp … Projected second-round selection in 2018 NBA Draft by NBADraft.net and ESPN ... 2017 MVC Newcomer of the Year and All-MVC first-team pick ... Earned MVC Player of the Week honors twice and MVC Newcomer of the Week laurels six times in addition to earning MVC All-Tournament Team honors ... Ranked 11th nationally in rebounds per game (10.6) and 13th in total caroms (351) … Was also ranked 15th nationally in double-doubles (17), 17th in offensive rebounds per game (3.3) and 24th in defensive rebounds per game (7.3) … His 487 points ranked 31st on MSU’s single-season list, while his 351 boards ranked 8th ... Led all MVC players in rebounds (10.6) and had 17 double-doubles ... Led club in scoring (487), rebounding (351) and free throws (109 for 161) ... Produced 16 points, 7 rebounds and season-high 7 assists vs. No. 21 Wichita State (3/4/17) in MVC semifinals en route to All-Tournament honors ... Notched his 17th double-double in MVC Tournament quarterfinals vs. UNI (3/3/17) with 20 points, 17 rebounds and 3 treys ... Went 6-for-6 at the line with 18 points and 12 rebounds vs. No. 25 Wichita State (2/25/17) on ESPN2 ... Logged 13 points at Bradley (2/22/17) ... Broke Knapp Center record and become first Bear since 1980 to record 21 rebounds in a game with a effort in win at Drake (2/18/17) while scoring 23 points and making 11-of-13 free throws en route to earning Valley Newcomer for the sixth time ... Posted team-high 17 points in home loss to Illinois State (2/15/17) with 8 rebounds and a pair of threes ... Logged 10 boards and had a dunk vs. UNI (2/12/17) ... Shared team-high with 11 points at Wichita State (2/9/17) ... Notched 14 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in overtime win over Loyola (1/31/17) ... Went 4-for-6 from 3-point range with 11 of 26 points in overtime at Southern Illinois (1/28/17) ... Had 10 straight double-figure rebounding games from 12/23/16 to 1/24/17 ... Went 9-for-11 at the foul line and finished with team highs 17 points and 17 rebounds vs. Drake (1/24/17) with 4 assists … Logged 13 points and 13 rebounds in home win over Bradley (1/21/17) en route to fifth MVC Newcomer of the Week honor ... Became first MSU player since 1990 to snag 20 rebounds in a game with 26 points, 20 rebounds, 4 treys and 3 assists in road win over Indiana State (1/18/17) ... Tallied 20 points and 10 boards at Loyola (1/15/17) on 9-of-17 shooting for 10th double-double ... Had 16 boards in home win over Evansville (1/11/17) ... Posted 10 rebounds at Illinois State (1/4/17) ... Named to the HoopsHD’s mid-season all-conference team ... In the Indiana State game (12/31/16), he became just the third player in MVC history to record 30 points and 15 rebounds in the same game and first to do it in a league game since 1/31/98 ... Posted 30 points and 15 rebounds in OT win over Indiana State (12/31/16) on 10-of-20 shooting to help him earn MVC Newcomer of the Week for a fourth time and Player of the Week for the second time ... Led off conference slate with 12 points and 10 rebounds in road win at UNI (12/28/16) with a pair of treys ... Had 17 points and 12 boards in win over DePaul (12/23/16) in Vegas Classic to earn All-Tournament honors and Coors Player of the Week ... Excelled vs. No. 23 USC (12/22/16) on national TV (FS1) with team highs 17 points, 5 assists ... Posted double-double with 20 points and 16 boards (10 offensive) in win over ORU (12/14/16) ... Earned MVC Newcomer of the Week on 12/12/16 for the second time after averaging 19.5 points and 12.0 rebounds in a two-game span ... Posted his third double-double in four games with 21 points and 11 rebounds against Valparaiso (12/10/16) with 3 assists and 9-of-16 from the field ... Recorded team highs 18 points and 13 rebounds in win at SEMO (12/7/16) on 7-of-10 from the field ... Had 17 points and 10 rebounds in home win over North Dakota State (11/27/16) to go with 3 steals and a pair of 3-pointers ... Became the first MVC player in three years to win Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week on the same date (11/14/16) after averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds and shooting .824 from the field in his first two Division I games ... Shared game-high scoring honors with 20 points and snagged 10 boards in home win over Jacksonville State (11/13/16) ... Made a JQH Arena record 8-of-8 shots in his debut against Alabama A&M (11/11/16), posting 16 points and 6 boards ... Named to MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for Spring semester.

Frank Phillips College
Earned NJCAA All-America honorable mention and All-Region distinction as a sophomore for coach Chris Hackett at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas … Averaged 16.7 points and 12.0 rebounds per game and converted 58.8 percent of his field goals with 24 3-pointers, 90 assists and 36 steals for a 21-10 club … Helped Frank Phillips earn its first regional bid since 2007 …  As a freshman, he posted 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game … Also shot 53.3 percent from the field, knocked down 20 threes and snagged 35 steals … Received honorable mention all-conference honors in 2014-15 … Attended the JucoRecruiting.com All-America Elite 80 Camp in Las Vegas in July 2015.

High School
Was a first-team all-state selection his senior season as part of a 30-1 run at St. John Neumann High in Williamsport, Pa., for coach Paul Petcavage … Helped the Golden Knights win a district championship and advance to the state final four in 2014 after scoring 24.1 points, 15.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game … Johnson earned Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball distinction his senior year and was also first-team Mid-Penn Conference, all-region and Williamsport metro player of the year … As a junior, he boasted 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for a 24-3 club while earning second-team all-state honors … Scored 11.0 points per game as a sophomore … Entered high school at 5-foot-9 and played point guard his freshman season.

Personal
Alize DeShawn Johnson was born 4/22/96 in Williamsport, Pa. … Son of David Hill and Chanelle Johnson of Williamsport … Has three brothers – David, Davion and Nasza – and four sisters – Davesha, Destiny, Davida and Alana … Cousin of former Pitt standout Chevon Troutman … Majoring in Communication Studies … Also received scholarship offers from Murray State, Kent State, Towson, Hawaii, Texas State, Buffalo, Iona and Stephen F. Austin.

alize-johnson-2018-draft-prospect

Alize Johnson: 2018 Draft Prospect

The Pacers will hold their second pre-draft workout in preparation for the 2018 NBA Draft on Friday, June 8 at the St. Vincent Center.

The six players scheduled to participate in workouts are Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State), Gary Clark (Cincinnati), A.J. Davis (Central Florida), Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova), Alize Johnson (Missouri State), Shake Milton (SMU).

The 2018 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Pacers own two picks in this year's draft, one pick in both the first and second rounds, the 23rd and 50th overall selections.

PROSPECT BIOS: Bates-Diop »   Clark »   Davis »   DiVincenzo »   Johnson »   Milton »

Alize Johnson

Holiday Should Look Familiar to Pacers

Pacers Select Alize Johnson

Davis Hoping to Follow in Father's Footsteps

Alize Johnson: 2018 Draft Prospect

Pacers to Hold Second Pre-Draft Workout on Friday, June 8