Pacers summer league roster: Benn Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Isaiah Jackson join rookies
IndyStar Sports
INDIANAPOLIS — Bennedict Mathurin had one of the best rookie seasons in Pacers history, Andrew Nembhard won a starting job in his first year and Isaiah Jackson was a rotation player for most of the season, but all three players will still be on the Pacers’ roster to get some more playing time in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League, which begins July 8.
The Pacers released their full summer league roster Tuesday and Mathurin, Nembhard and Jackson were the three members of the 2022-23 Pacers’ 15-man roster that are part of this squad. The fact that they are on the roster doesn’t necessarily mean they will play in all of the Pacers’ summer league games, but it’s notable they’re still looking for some time with this squad.
Mathurin, the No. 6 pick in the 2022 draft, averaged 28.5 minutes per game, mostly as the Pacers’ sixth man, and finished second among all rookies in scoring with 16.7 points per game. He finished second on the Pacers in total minutes with 2,222 and his 1,302 total points were also second on the Pacers’ roster and third all-time among Pacers rookies. Nembhard, the No. 31 pick in the 2022 draft, started a combined 63 games at point guard and shooting guard, finished third on the team in total minutes (2,073), and averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 assists per game. Mathurin was named first-team All-Rookie and Nembhard narrowly missed making the second team, finishing 11th in the All-Rookie balloting.
The 21-year-old Jackson is back on the Pacers’ summer league roster for the third straight season after being picked 22nd in the 2021 draft. Jackson averaged 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season and averaged 16.5 minutes per game, but he appeared in just 63 games largely because the Pacers had a log jam among their backup centers, and he had to split time with teammates Jalen Smith and Daniel Theis.
The Pacers’ roster included all four of their drafted rookies — forward Jarace Walker and guards Ben Sheppard, Mojave King and Isaiah Wong. Wing Kendall Brown, who spent last season on a two-way contract and is expected to be on another one this year, is also on the team as is former Michigan guard Eli Brooks, who spent this past season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Former Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe, the two-time All-American and 2022 Wooden, Naismith and AP Player of the Year who signed a two-way contract with the Pacers last week, is also on the squad. Undrafted free agents Nate Laszewski from Notre Dame and Darius McGhee from Liberty are also on the squad and are committed to the Pacers only for the Summer League. Laszewski, a 6-10 forward, averaged 13.7 points per game last season. McGhee, a 5-9 point guard and three-time Atlantic Sun Player of the Year, averaged 22.8
Also on the team are forward Robert Woodard II and guard Ethan Thompson, who were both on G League rosters in other systems last year. Woodard played for the Oklahoma City Blue — the Thunder affiliate — and Thompson for the Windy City Bulls, the Chicago Bulls’ affiliate. Thompson, a 6-5 guard who played college ball at Oregon State, averaged 17.0 points per game last season. Woodard, a 6-6 forward, averaged 12.7.
Assistant player development coach Jannero Pargo will serve as head coach.
Originally published in usatoday.com