Tremont Waters

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Justin Robinson is Virginia Tech's all-time assists leader, but his most impactful contribution will never show on a stat line. That would be the break he gave a teammate.

Robinson suffered an injured left foot during a game against Miami last season, just as his season was peaking. His 12-game absence required backcourt partner Nickeil Alexander-Walker to slide over to the point guard role. That enabled Alexander-Walker to both display and expand his skill set, which in turn has boosted his stock in Thursday's NBA Draft.

"I owe him a few dinners," Alexander-Walker said with a smile following the Pacers' final pre-draft workout on Monday at St. Vincent Center.

Robinson was sitting about 30 feet to Alexander-Walker's left at the time, having also just competed in the workout. It was the first time the paths of the two former backcourt partner had crossed in the pre-draft process, which somehow seems inappropriate given how intertwined their careers have become.

Alexander-Walker is projected to be drafted in the range of the Pacers' first-round pick (18). He not only averaged 16.2 points while hitting 38 percent of his 3-pointers as a sophomore, he has upside as a 20-year-old veteran of two college seasons. He also has length as a 6-foot-5 guard with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and the sort of slender frame that should fill out with age.

2019 DRAFT CENTRAL: Complete Coverage at Pacers.com/Draft »

Robinson is four inches shorter, a year older, and a veteran of four college seasons, the last of which was reduced by the sort of injury that could give pause to any team considering him as a draft prospect. With those "flaws" working against him, he's regarded as a bubble player who will be drafted late in the second round or not at all despite being one of the most effective and admired point guards in the country last season.

Don't expect to hear any complaints, though. Robinson is confident he can clear his own path into the NBA and happy to have aided Alexander-Walker's prospects — both via his opportunity-creating injury and his on-site mentoring.

"There were a lot of times during the games, I would try to jump down the sideline in a boot and call him over and just tell him the simple things that would change everything," Robinson said.

"Literally, he would make the play and point at me. I like seeing other people happy and succeeding. For him to take the stride he did while I was hurt and going through the good and bad is a testament to who he is.

"It's going to help him on the next level. He has experience now handling the ball and coming off ball screens, being able to read things. I just continue to pray for him and hope he (succeeds) at the next level."

Alexander-Walker, meanwhile, makes no effort to downplay Robinson's influence. The transition from shooting guard to point guard was difficult at first, but progress was made.

Alexander-Walker had seven assists and 16 turnovers in his first three games after Robinson went down, but gradually corrected his quarterbacking equations. He had seven assists and two turnovers in the next game against Georgia Tech, and later had six assists and one turnover in a victory over Duke. In the final regular season game against Miami he had eight assists and three turnovers, and later 12 assists and six turnovers in the Hokies' three NCAA tournament games, the last of which was a two-point loss to Duke.

"It was really hard at the beginning, trying to follow up an all-conference guy," Alexander-Walker said. "Him just teaching me, it really helped me a lot in my (draft) stock and who I am as a player and being able to show my versatility. It's unfortunate he went down, but..."

Alexander-Walker paused for a moment, as if hesitant to take a positive from a teammate's injury, but then spoke the truth.

Helped him, because he can now legitimately claim to be a combo guard capable of playing either backcourt position. He wound up averaging 4.1 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.9 steals to go with his scoring production, making him one of the more complete guards in the draft.

Justin Robinson boxes out his former Virginia Tech teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker at Monday's pre-draft workout. (Photo Credit: @Pacers)

Robinson returned for Virginia Tech's three NCAA tournament games, but played off the bench. He had 14 points and five assists in the two-point Sweet Sixteen loss to Duke, which at least indicated he had recovered from the injury.

If his mishap was a positive for Alexander-Walker, it drew a silver lining for Robinson as well. It enabled him to more publicly display his maturity and selflessness, and, most of all, his absence made his contributions all the more conspicuous. Although the Hokies upset Duke without him, they went 7-5 in the games he missed after going 17-3 before his injury.

Purdue fans might remember him for scoring 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting and passing out six assists in Virginia Tech's six-point victory in the Charleston Classic in November. (Alexander-Walker scored 25 in that game.) Syracuse fans no doubt recall him for scoring 35 points while hitting 9-of-13 3-pointers and passing out eight assists on Jan. 26. He continued his momentum into the Hokies' next game against Miami four days later by scoring 17 points in his first 19 minutes, but then broke a bone in his left foot when he went up for a floater and landed awkwardly.

"Who knows what trajectory I was on and where I could have been?" he said. "I thought I was on the right path to be an all-conference player, but when you miss 12 games you can't get that accolade."
Robinson has made up for his lost time with a standout performance in the Portsmouth Invitational, and in the new G League Elite Camp. He barely missed an invitation to the Chicago NBA Draft Combine, where he really could have elevated his draft position.

But even amid that slight he found a benefit. It enabled him to go back to campus and walk across the stage to accept the diploma he earned in 3 1/2 years in front of his parents.

The combination of his injury and talent has made Robinson one of the hottest commodities on the pre-draft circuit. Monday's workout with the Pacers was his 14th. He's going back to Detroit on Tuesday and Boston on Wednesday for second looks.

He thought he played well on Monday, but considers himself the type of player who doesn't shine brightest in a structured six-player pre-draft workout. He needs to be in a real game for that because he's the type of player who excels in the nuances of the game, the kind captured by advanced analytics. His Player Efficiency Rating, true shooting percentage (.632), and win share average last season were all superior to those of Alexander-Walker.

"Some of these workouts are meant for people who are just scorers and like to score," he said. "I can do that, but my game is to set others up and just control the tempo and control the game and be the coach on the court."

Thus, he realizes he might not be drafted. But he also realizes that might not be a bad thing.

"I want to hear my name called, but I don't think that's the end goal," he said. "The end goal is to be in the right situation at the right time. I would much rather go undrafted and go to the best situation for myself than get drafted but be in a position where I'm stuck."

Alexander-Walker doesn't have that concern. He's a virtual certainty to hear his name called in the first round, and will be waiting in the green room on draft night to walk on stage, don a cap, and share a bro-hug with commissioner Adam Silver. He doesn't have a specific expectation or desire, though, being wise enough to pay no attention to the myriad mock drafts that have pegged him for various spots.

He's also worked out for Charlotte, Boston, Detroit, Orlando, and Miami, for whatever that's worth. Monday's was his final session unless a team calls him back for a second look.

"I think it's all bogus in a sense," he said. "You've got guys basing it off the last game they've seen you in, or just their opinion. I trust the teams, I trust my agent. I don't feel like an NBA team is going to go out and tell their media sources who they're going to pick. You can't pay attention to it.

So is Robinson. They've done all they can for themselves by now. And for one another, too.

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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Virginia Tech Backcourt Mates Face Different Paths to NBA

You see all kinds in these NBA pre-draft workouts, particularly when you're a team such as the Pacers with the 18th and 50th picks. There are guys virtually assured of being selected in the first round and landing a life-changing guaranteed contract, more guys fighting for a spot in the second round to get a legitimate shot at making a team, and some guys destined to hear the sad refrain of crickets during the June 20 NBA Draft.

But it all comes together for what Tremont Waters calls "a beautiful process." And if a hard-luck player can view it so optimistically, who is to argue? The workouts help some players launch their NBA careers and inform others their dream of one is about to die — but never without a fair trial and everyone's good wishes, not to mention some cool practice gear.

The Pacers had another six players in to work out on Thursday at St. Vincent Center. Bruno Fernando (Maryland) seems all but certain to be drafted in the first round. Daniel Gafford (Arkansas) is regarded as a late first-round or early second-round pick (read more about Fernando and Gafford in Wheat Hotchkiss' latest story. Jaylen Nowell (Washington), who was brought in for a second look, is expected to go in the second round, as is Terance Mann (Florida State). Sandy Cohen III (Wisconsin-Green Bay) is a borderline second-round pick and Paul Jorgensen (Butler) is not expected to be drafted.

And then there's Waters, who watched Thursday's session from the sideline amid the phalanx of coaches and scouts. He is a second-round candidate whose opportunity to elevate his stock has been limited by injury, and faces an uncertain draft night.

Waters was a four-star recruit out of high school who attended LSU after de-committing from Georgetown. He led the Tigers in scoring each of his two seasons, with averages in the 15-point range, and also led them from a 10-win team the season before he arrived to a 28-win team this past season. His driving layup out of a halfcourt offense eliminated Maryland from the NCAA tournament and sent LSU to the Sweet Sixteen this year.

He's undersized at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds and just an average 3-point shooter at this point in his career, but is exceptionally quick and a capable quarterback. He led the SEC in assists and steals last season and was voted co-Defensive Player of the Year, so he at least has a foundation for an NBA career.

He was reported by various sources to be one of the standouts in the testing and scrimmages in the NBA Chicago Combine, but suffered a badly sprained right ankle in the second half of the last of two scrimmages. He had already worked out for Boston and Milwaukee at that point, but hasn't been able to do anything but meet with teams since then.

He's also visited with Charlotte, Washington, and Dallas and has three or four more meetings scheduled. He receives treatment on his ankle at every stop, so he's getting more out of it than conversation. And he's hopeful teams have seen enough already to draw a conclusion.

"They know what I can do," he said of the NBA scouts. "I'm just trying to meet with teams and talk to them and let them see the side of me outside of basketball."

Waters said he would have entered the draft even if he had known the fate of his ankle, although he pauses before answering that one. He also says his decision to do so wasn't influenced by the controversy surrounding LSU's program, which is under NCAA investigation.

If so, he still is — regardless of the condition of his ankle, which he estimates to be about 80 percent of normal. His injury won't exactly boost his draft position, and could help make him available to the Pacers with their second-round pick. He can count on the fact he will at least be on somebody's Summer League team and most likely in a training camp next fall.

"If I do get drafted, I'll be more than ecstatic to get into the process with that team. If I don't, I'm not going to stop.

"It was kind of hard watching the workouts, but I can't control it. I've got to sit here and take it all in. It's a beautiful process and I'm here to live it."

Paul Jorgensen shoots during pre-draft workouts. (Photo Credit: @Pacers)

Jorgensen is learning to love the process as well. For him, that includes learning to tolerate broccoli.

The Pacers sent a driver to pick him up on Butler's campus and take him to St. Vincent Center. Logically, that will be the greatest investment an NBA team ever makes in him. After all, he averaged just 11.7 points as a senior for the Bulldogs and turned 22 last season. Upside is not in his favor.

But he appreciated Thursday's opportunity as much as anyone.

"It was great," he said. "Lot of fun. Can't stop smiling. Just a great time."

"It was just fun competing with high-level guys," he said, smiling. "Playing one-on-one, playing three-on-three, shooting. It was a pressure environment. That's what we live for as competitors; that's what I've been dreaming of, to have an opportunity like this, so I've got to be grateful for it."

Jorgensen, who played two seasons at George Washington before transferring to Butler and sitting out a season, said he thought he played well.

"You have to ask the coaches, but hopefully they thought the same," he said.

Jorgensen is working with coaches to improve his skills and his body. Part of that includes an upgraded diet, which has introduced broccoli to his menu. It's an adjustment and a sacrifice, but it could be worse. He could have a sprained ankle, for example.

"I need to combine it with some seasoning and then I can eat it," Jorgensen said.

The workout with the Pacers was his first. He's hoping to get more, but the primary goal now is to land a spot on a Summer League team. The odds of playing in the NBA seem extraordinarily long for a soon-to-be 23-year-old guard who started barely more than half of his team's games as a senior, but Thursday's opportunity was neither wasted nor unappreciated.

"I've always loved adversity," he said. "I smile at it."

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Waters, Jorgensen Hearing Opportunity’s Knock

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2019 Draft Workouts: Tremont Waters

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Height: 5-11
Weight: 172
Position: PG
College: LSU
Age: 21

2018-2019 Season Stats
PPG: 15.3
RPG: 2.8
APG: 5.8
BLK: 0.1
STL: 2.9

CAREER HONORS
Bob Cousy Award Finalist, 2018-19...All-SEC First Team, 2018-19...All-SEC Defensive Team, 2018-19...SEC Co-Defensive Player of Year, 2018-19...Freshman All-SEC Team, 2018...Freshman of the Year, All-Louisiana, 2018

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2018-19)
Had an outstanding sophomore campaign, leading the SEC in assists average and steals average and ranking fourth in the nation in steals average … Averaged 15.3 points per game, 5.818 assists per game and 2.91 steals per game … Set a school mark of 96 steals for the season, topping the 30-plus year mark of 93 set by Darryl Joe in 1987 …. Averaged 32.4 minutes per game … Made a team-high 172 field goals, including a team best 56 three-pointers … Made 104-of-128 free throws (81.3%) … Also posted a 2.8 rebound average and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.68 … Had 26 games in double figures in 33 games played, with 45 over two seasons … Seven games of 20 or more this season, 17 for the two seasons … Best game this year was second high of career, scoring 36 at Texas A&M (1/30), making 11 field goals, including 6-of-10 from three point range … One week later at Mississippi State (2/6) again made 11 field goals, but 10 were inside the arc in scoring 26 points … Five games of 10 or more assists this season, nine total for his career … Four double doubles (pts-asts) … Had 11 assists versus Charleston (11/22) and 11 at Arkansas (1/12) … Became the 42nd player to score 1,000 career points in the NCAA Tournament game against Maryland (3/23) and finished his sophomore season with over 500 points (504) … Averaged 17.7 points, 6.2 assists and 2.9 steals in league play … Eighth in the SEC in overall scoring average … In two seasons, recorded 390 assists, seventh all-time at LSU, with 163 steals, 11th all-time … Finished his two years 221-of-274 at the line, 80.7%, eighth all-time in career free throw percentage.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2017-18)
Started 32-of-33 games … Averaged 15.9 points per game, 3.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game … Played an average of 33 minutes a game … Finished the season with 198 assists, topping the school record for freshman of 158 set in 2016 by Ben Simmons and at end of season had the second most assists in a single season by an LSU player … 21 games scoring in double figures … Five double doubles (four points-assists; one points-rebounds) … 10 games of 20 or more points … Waters, according to TeamReference.com, Waters is the first LSU freshman since the 1992-93 season (the last season site database can reference) to average 15 points and five assists in a season …. The last SEC freshman to do it was John Wall of Kentucky during the 2009-10 season … Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week … Made two treys in the final 12 seconds to get LSU the win at Texas A&M (1/6) … Points-rebound double double came against Kentucky (1/3) when he had 18 points, 11 rebounds … Five games of double figure assists (4 of 10 and 11 vs. Arkansas, 2/3) … 21 games of five assists or more in a game, including the last four games of the season … Finished the season No. 8 in the SEC in scoring, No. 2 in assists, No. 1 in steals, No. 8 in free throw percentage (117-146, 80.1%), seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and sixth in the league in minutes played … Led teams in scoring 15 times, rebounding three times and assists 28 times … Top game of 39 points against Marquette in the Maui Classic … 28 versus Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament (3/8) and 28 vs. Vandy on Feb. 20 … For the season, made 168-of-403 field goals for 41.7 percent, including 72-of-205 (35.1%).

PRIOR TO LSU
Averaged 25.3 points, 4.6 assists and 4.6 steals per game while shooting 87.3 percent from the free throw line as a senior in 2017 for Notre Dame High, leading the Knights (22-2) to the first round of the Class LL state tournament … Four-star prospect who was ranked No. 32 in the 2017 ESPN rankings and No. 41 overall in the 2017 class according to Scout.com ... Listed as the eighth point guard in the top 100 rankings by ESPN … Waters played in the Jordan Brand All-Star game, where he had eight points and two assists … He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Connecticut for the 2016-17 season … Also played football and baseball in high school.

PERSONAL
Born Jan. 10, 1998 in New Haven, Connecticut … Right-handed … Parents are Vanessa and Ed Waters … Six brothers: John, Jordan, Edward,  Curt, Keshaun and George … Major at LSU is business and finance … Likes to listen to music and get a massage to relax ... Favorite food is mom’s rice and kielbasa … Favorite dessert is graham crackers and milk ... Favorite celebrity is Drake … Favorite pro basketball player is Lebron James and Kyrie Irving ... Favorite NBA team is "wherever LeBron James is playing" so now that is the LA Lakers ... Favorite pro athlete outside basketball is NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Tremont Waters

Virginia Tech Backcourt Mates Face Different Paths to NBA

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2019 Draft Workouts: Tremont Waters

Tremont Waters: 2019 Draft Prospect