Moses Wright

Wheat Hotchkiss

At his introductory press conference on Wednesday, incoming Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told the media that one of his primary goals for next season was to reestablish Indiana's defensive identity after the team struggled to stop opponents for much of last season.

On Thursday, the Pacers took a look at a player that could potentially help Carlisle achieve that goal. Tennessee guard Jaden Springer, a likely first-round pick in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft, headlined Thursday's pre-draft workout at the Ascension St. Vincent Center.

Although he is one of the youngest prospects in this year's draft class (he won't turn 19 until Sept. 25), Springer already has the body and skillset to effectively hound NBA guards. He measured at 6-4 and 202 pounds with a nearly 6-8 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine last week. He also recorded a 41.5-inch vertical, tied for the sixth-highest measurement of all the prospects in Chicago.

In his one season at Tennessee, Springer was a key cog in one of the nation's best defenses. Rick Barnes' Volunteers ranked fifth out of 357 Division I teams in adjusted defensive efficiency in 2020-21, according to kenpom.com.

"We've got a great coaching staff," Springer said on Thursday. "They're really defensive-minded. So just them instilling that into us every single day, I feel like that's definitely going to translate to the next level."

On a veteran-laden team, Barnes brought Springer, a 2020 McDonald's All-American, and fellow five-star freshman Keon Johnson off the bench initially. But both players earned their way into the starting lineup by early into SEC play. Springer wound up starting 15 of 25 games and led the Vols in scoring at 12.5 points per game, while also averaging 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals.

Springer took on more of a dominant role offensively as the season progressed. He topped 20 points five times in a seven-game span in February, highlighted by a 23-point, five-rebound performance in a win at Kentucky on Feb. 6 and a 30-point, four-rebound, three-steal outing four days later in a victory over Georgia.

On the offensive end, Springer has the tools to be an effective combo guard at the next level. He shot the ball well as a freshman, converting 43.5 percent of his 3-point attempts on a limited sample size while also shooting 81 percent from the free throw line. He also effectively used his size and strength to get into the lane and either score at the rim or find open teammates.

On both ends of the floor, Springer has many attributes that could be appealing to the Pacers, who have the 13th overall pick in the draft, which will take place on July 29. Springer also sees Indiana as a potential good fit.

"I know the Pacers, they've got a great program, a bunch of great guards," he said Thursday. "I feel like they just need one more piece. I feel like I could be the guy to come in, lock up on defense, get stops, and then I feel like that could translate to easy buckets on the other end."

Both Oklahoma's Austin Reaves (left) and Georgia Tech's Moses Wright (right) grew from lightly regarded recruits to stars with legitimate NBA prospects after decorated college careers. (Photo Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

Wright, Reaves Following Similar Trajectories

Neither Austin Reaves or Moses Wright projected to be NBA players coming out of high school.

Reaves, a 6-5 shooting guard from the small town of Newark, Ark., didn't receive any offers from any power conference programs. He committed to the best school that offered him, Wichita State, and played a supporting role for two seasons with the Shockers before transferring to Oklahoma.

But with the Sooners, Reaves blossomed. He averaged 14.7 points in his first season in Norman (up significantly from the 8.1 he averaged his sophomore season at Wichita State). Then as a senior, Reaves ranked second in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.3 points per game, trailing only likely number-one pick Cade Cunningham, while also tallying 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest.

Reaves had appeared poised for a big postseason in 2020. He went off for a career-high 41 points, including the game-winning shot in the final seconds, in Oklahoma's final regular season game at TCU. But then the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the college basketball season, forcing the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments to both be canceled.

This year, Reaves got the chance to play in the tournament, and he put on a show. He tallied 23 points and six assists to lead the Sooners to a first-round win over Missouri and then dropped 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting against an undefeated Gonzaga juggernaut in the second round, closing out his college career on a high note.

"It was awesome," Reaves said of the experience in Indianapolis. "As a kid, you watch the NCAA Tournament. It was probably my favorite tournament. Just to have the opportunity to play in it and be successful was a blessing. Last year, it was a sad time...but this year we got back and had a little success."

After becoming one of the top offensive threats in the Big 12, Reaves is now a bona fide NBA prospect. He was invited to the combine last week and has been living out of hotel rooms as he travels from city to city auditioning for NBA teams.

"If you would have told tenth-grade me or ninth-grade me that I would be in this situation, I would have believed it but anybody else probably would have thought you was crazy," Reaves said. "So (I'm) really just (grateful) for the opportunity to prove everybody wrong and to put a light on kids like me, kids that are from a small town in the middle of nowhere, to show them that there is an opportunity to go out and be successful."

Wright, meanwhile, didn't play varsity basketball until his senior year of high school. A self-described "zero-star recruit," he was eventually able to land an offer from Georgia Tech and head coach Josh Pastner. Wright started 10 games as a freshman, but averaged just 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Perhaps no player in all of college basketball improved more over the past four years, however. The 6-9, 225-pound forward dominated the competition as a senior, averaging 17.4 points on 53.2 percent shooting, 8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 blocks.

Wright was named ACC Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season, making him just the second player in school history to receive the honor (Dennis Scott was the first in 1989-90). Wright also helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the ACC Tournament title.

A Raleigh, N.C. native, Wright played in the same Garner Road AAU program as current Pacer T.J. Warren and counts former Pacer David West as a mentor. He's hoping to follow in both of their footsteps by playing in the NBA.

While Wright carried Georgia Tech's offense last season, he knows that his role in the NBA will likely be different. He said on Thursday that he wanted to stand out in workouts in other ways.

"Just the energy that I'm bringing, just showing them that it's going to be consistent and I don't have to score the ball to be productive," Wright said. "I can impact the game in other ways."

Kentucky guard B.J. Boston Jr. was a heralded recruit coming out of high school. (Photo Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

Boston Hoping to Remind NBA Teams of Potential

Entering his freshman season at Kentucky, B.J. Boston Jr. was projected by many outlets to be a lottery pick. ESPN ranked him as the seventh overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class (Springer was ranked 17th).

But Boston's draft stock dipped after a disappointing college season. He averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 25 games, shooting just 35.5 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range.

The 6-7 forward's final two college games highlight his inconsistency He scored a season-high 21 points while going 6-for-10 from 3-point range in the regular season finale against South Carolina. But in the SEC Tournament against Mississippi State, Boston went scoreless, attempting just four shots in 23 minutes.

COVID-19 restrictions could have been a contributing factor in Boston's struggles. The past season was unlike any other in college basketball history, with constant testing and social distancing, limited or no fans in arenas, and an abbreviated schedule.

"It was a hard year, I'm not going to lie," Boston admitted on Thursday.

As he goes through the pre-draft process, Boston hopes to show scouts that he still possesses the attributes worthy of his recruiting ranking. He said he believes he is a strong two-way player with great combination of size and ball-handling abilities.

Though his freshman season didn't go as planned, Boston has no regrets about his time at Kentucky. Under John Calipari, the Wildcats have been essentially an NBA factory and Boston believes that his year in Lexington helped prepare him for the next level.

"Definitely going to Kentucky it helped me just mentally," Boston said. "I feel like I'm mentally ahead of my peers. It helped me just stay really disciplined with myself and stay really consistent in the gym."

Texas' Matt Coleman III (left) and Shawnee State's E.J. Onu (right) enter the draft after four-year careers. (Photo Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

The final two prospects at Thursday's workout were Texas point guard Matt Coleman III and Shawnee State center E.J. Onu, both of whom had accomplished college careers.

Coleman was a four-year starter at Texas, where he averaged 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game as a senior. The 6-2 guard was a good shooter in college, shooting 39.5 and 37.7 percent from 3-point range in his final two seasons in Austin and a capable defender despite his smaller statue ("I don't back down from nothing or nobody," he said Thursday).

While most prospects list off a number of All-Stars when asked which current players they study and try to emulate, Coleman gave a more pragmatic answer on Thursday that showed he understands his potential role in the NBA.

"I'm a big Chris Paul fan, but I look to more guys like Cameron Payne, Monte Morris," he said. "Backup point guards that are able to just come into the game, make open shots, take care of the ball, and make the right play."

With his mature outlook, Coleman would certainly be a welcome addition to any NBA locker room.

Most fans have probably never heard of Onu, who spent four years playing at the NAIA level, but he is a very legitimate NBA prospect. He was invited to the G League Elite Camp, where he measured at 6-11 and 232 pounds with an incredible wingspan of over 7-8. To put that into perspective, Neemias Queta had the longest wingspan at the combine at 7-4.

Onu put those long arms to work at Shawnee State, blocking an absurd 529 shots over four seasons. He averaged 5.9 blocks per game as a junior and 4.5 as a senior. Even though the NBA represents a colossal jump in overall talent level, Onu is confident he can still protect the rim at a high level.

"I know I played against shorter guys (at the) NAIA level, but I think just my length itself can even alter a lot of shots," he said.

Onu also averaged 16.9 points on 57.3 percent shooting and 8.1 rebounds as a senior. He helped lead Shawnee State to a 31-2 record, capped off by winning the national championship in March.

On Thursday, Onu had a chance to audition for NBA scouts and match up with the ACC Player of the Year.

"It's amazing," he said. "I just love being here. I'm grateful to be here. This is definitely an experience. These guys are more skilled, they're a lot better, but (holding my own with them) just shows what kind of player I am."

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Could Springer Have What the Pacers Are Looking For?

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2021 Draft Workouts: Moses Wright

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Height: 6-9
Weight: 226
Position: PF
College: Georgia Tech
Age: 22

2020-2021 Season Stats
PPG: 17.4
RPG: 8.0
APG: 2.3
BLK: 1.6
STL: 1.5

Player BioCourtesy of Georgia Tech Athletics

General
Rapidly developing forward from Raleigh, N.C., who had very little organized basketball experience when he enrolled at Tech (played one year of varsity basketball in high school) … Rose to become the ACC Player of the Year as a senior and help lead Tech to its ACC Championship in 28 years and its first NCAA Tournament berth in 11 years … Became the 21st Tech player to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for his career … Finished with 1,130 points (38th all-time at Tech) and 614 rebounds … Was a consistent performer from the beginning of the 2020-21 season, missing double digits in scoring only 10 times in 56 games … Earned significant playing time early in his freshman season and again late in the year as injuries thinned Tech’s ranks … Blossomed into a major contributor at the end of his sophomore season and became one of the most improved players in the ACC as a junior, setting the stage for his monster senior year … Gained the ability to impact the game at both ends with his scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking skills … Has grown four inches and added 40 pounds since his sophomore year in high school … Has good athleticism and a high basketball IQ, at his best when he attacks the basket on offense and crashes the boards … First North Carolina native to sign with Tech since Anthony Morrow (Charlotte), who played at Tech from 2004-08 and played nine years in the NBA … Wore No. 12 as a freshman, changed to No. 5 as a sophomore … Began playing basketball by trying out for his local YMCA team … Enjoys swimming, tennis and working puzzles, and is a musician (piano, upright bass) … Graduated May 8, 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

2020-21
Voted ACC Player of the Year, the third Tech player to receive that honor, and was named to the All-ACC first team, the first Yellow Jacket to make the first team since 2001 … Voted those honors by both the official ACC voting panel and the Associated Press … Also was voted to the ACC’s All-Defensive Team … Voted honorable mention All-America by the Associated Press … Made the USWBA All-District IV team and was named Georgia Co-Player of the Year (with teammate Jose Alvarado) by the Atlanta Tipoff Club … Exploded during Tech’s six-game winning streak to finish the regular season, averaging 23.5 points and 10.0 rebounds … Has hit 65-of-97 FG (67.0 pct.), 23-of-36 FT (63.9 pct.) and 3-of-4 3pt FG, adding in 19 assists, 12 blocks, and 6 steals during the stretch … Scored 15 points with eight rebounds, two assists, three blocked shots and two steals to help Tech defeat FSU in the ACC Tournament championship game … Ranked among the ACC’s TOP SIX in scoring average (4th, 17.40 ppg), rebound average (4th, 8.04 rpg), field goal percentage (4th, .532), steals (6th, 1.48 pg), blocked shots (6th, 1.64 per game), offensive rebounds (4th, 3.16 rpg) and minutes (6th, 35.34 mpg) … Had seven double-doubles in 2020-21, six in ACC games, and four in a row during the final two weeks of the regular season … Monster efforts in wins vs. Syracuse (31 points, 16 rebounds) and Duke (29 points, 14 rebounds) … Syracuse game was only the second 30/15 game in Tech history … It was his second 30-point game of the season (31/19 vs Georgia State) and third of his career (33/10 last year at Syracuse) … Scored 26 points with 10 rebounds in Tech’s win at Virginia Tech, 14 and 12 at Miami, 15 and 16 at Louisville and 12 and 14 at Duke (Jan. 26) … Eclipsed 20 points in a game 10 times this season, including 21 in the first meeting against Clemson (9-15 FG, 2-2 3pt FG, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks), 23 in second meeting vs. Florida State (8-15 FG, 7-9 FT, 8 rebounds, 6 steals) and 24 on Feb. 14 vs. Pitt (9-13 FG, 5-6 FT) … Earned ACC Player of the Week honors three times, first after scoring 21 points (9-14 FG, 3-3 FT) with seven rebounds and three blocks in Tech’s win over Kentucky, on March 1 following his performances against Virginia Tech and Syracuse, and again March 8 after his big games against Duke and Wake Forest in the final week of the regular season … Scored 31 points in the season opener against Georgia State with 19 rebounds (11 offensive) … The 19 rebounds were the most by a Tech player in five seasons, and he hit 14-of-22 shots from the foul line, the 22 attempts tying a Tech record … Was a consistent performer from the beginning of the 2020-21 season, missing double digits in scoring only 10 times in 56 games.

2019-20
One of the most improved players in the ACC, having nearly doubled his scoring and rebounding averages from his sophomore year … Shooting percentages improved as well (6.1% FG, 3.3% 3pt, 12.8% FT) … Added about 25 pounds since between the beginning of his sophomore year and the beginning of his junior year … Consistent performer all season long, only seven games in single-digit points, never two games in a row until the last three games of the season … Posted a historic performance for a Tech player at Syracuse, scoring 33 points with 10 rebounds … The 33 points tied the third-most ever recorded by a Tech player in an ACC road game, and were the most for a Jacket in an ACC road game in nearly 20 years … It beat his previous career best by eight points, having scored as many as 20 points only twice in his career previously … He made 14 of 17 field goal attempts in the game, with the 14 field goals the third-most ever by a Tech player against an ACC team … Finished the season as Tech’s No. 3 scorer (13.0 ppg, 21st in the ACC) and No. 2 rebounder (7.0 rpg, 14th ACC) who connected on 53.1 percent of his shots from the floor (No. 3 in the ACC) … Averaged 13.4 points in ACC games (19th) while grabbing 6.8 rebounds per game (15th ACC) and hit 50.5 percent from the floor (No. 4 ACC) … Posted seven double-doubles, including four vs. ACC teams (13/10 at Florida State, 12/10 vs. Duke, 18/10 at Boston College, 33/10 at Syracuse) … Prevously: 12/12 vs. Bethune-Cookman, 13/10 at Kentucky, 19/10 vs. Houston, 13/10 at Florida State … Made the all-tournament team at the Diamond Head Classic, averaging a team-high 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds while hitting 63.6 percent of his shots from the floor … Scored 18 with nine rebounds vs. Boise State, 19 and 10 vs. Houston and 16 with nine boards vs. Hawai’i … Earned him ACC Player of the Week honors … Made 52-of-77 free throws (67.5 pct.) in his last 22 games after connecting on just 4-of-14 in the first nine games of the season … Scored 18 points at Georgia (16 in second half), hitting 8-of-15 FG, with nine rebounds and two blocks.

2018-19
Finished the season with the best game of his career to date, scoring 25 points in the ACC Tournament against Notre Dame … Made 12-of-18 shots from the floor, grabbed seven rebounds, had three assists and two blocked shots … Averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in the last five games, four of them away from home, while hitting 36-of-58 shots from the floor (62 pct.) … Scored a career-high 19 at Miami, 10 against Boston College and 18 in his return home to Raleigh against NC State … Started the final seven games of the season, 21 altogether … Initially replaced the injured Evan Cole at the “4” spot, starting 13 games, and was inconsistent despite logging three double-figure games … Played 21 minutes off the bench at Clemson and started against Louisville with Abdoulaye Gueye absent (16 points, seven rebounds, 7-of-12 FG combined) earlier in the ACC schedule … Scored 11 points vs. UTRGV (5-of-8 FG), 12 points (5-of-8 FG) vs. St. John’s, 10 (5-of-8 FG) vs. Kennesaw State for his only other double-digit games … Finished as Tech’s No. 5 scorer in ACC games (6.1 ppg), while averaging 3.6 rebounds and hitting 47.2 percent of his field goals.

2017-18
Received his most extensive playing time since before Christmas with an average of 23.1 minutes over Tech’s final eight games, including a season-high of 35 at Virginia … Averaged 4.3 points and 4.9 rebounds … Had played very little in Tech’s first 11 ACC games … Started four straight games (8.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg) around the holiday before seeing his minutes curtailed when ACC play began … Had played a total of 19 minutes in five games over a 12-game span for Tech before Tech’s Feb. 11 game against Duke, in which he had nine points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes … Scored a season-best 19 points (8-9 FG) with seven rebounds and three steals in a season-high 27 minutes against Florida A&M … Had four points, six rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 26 minutes at Georgia … Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds against Bethune-Cookman … Scored six points each against Tennessee and Wofford … Had five big rebounds in 17 minutes against Northwestern.

High School
Under head coach Patrick Paye, employed a deft inside-out offensive attack while his 7-foot-2 wingspan allowed him to wreak havoc on the glass … In his senior season, led his team in scoring (22.0 ppg), rebounding (11.0 rpg), blocks (2.0 bpg) and three-point shooting (41.0 pct.) … Earned all-conference and all-region honors his senior season and was also selected to play in the North Carolina — South Carolina All-Star game … Played for the Garner Road Elite in the AAU circuit, from which coach Dwayne West has sent players like Isaiah Hicks (North Carolina) and T.J. Warren (NC State) to ACC programs … Also played and lettered one year in tennis.

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