by Wheat Hotchkiss
Just days after the Pacers’ 2023-24 season came to an end, the practice court at the Ascension St. Vincent Center was busy once again on Friday, as the team hosted its first pre-draft workout in preparation for next month’s NBA Draft.
Draft preparation looks a little different for the Pacers this year. The team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals has condensed the timeframe in which the organization will host pre-draft workouts. Last season, Indiana held 16 pre-draft workouts from May 12 up until the week of their draft. This year, they started less than four weeks ahead of the draft, which will be held on June 26 and 27.
The bigger distinction this year is where the Pacers will be picking. Indiana had a lottery pick in each of the last three years (and a top-10 pick each of the last two) but traded away its two first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft in January in the deal that brought Pascal Siakam to Indiana (those picks wound up being the 19th and 29th overall selections). Though they have no first-round picks, the Pacers do currently own three second-round selections: the 36th, 49th, and 50th overall picks.
Six prospects were in the building on Friday to audition in front of the Pacers’ brass. They fit the mold of likely second-round picks that could potentially help the Blue and Gold — older players that spent four or more years in college and have specific skillsets that could allow them to find a role in the NBA.
Four of the six happened to have some tie to the Pacers organization. Houston All-American guard Jamal Shead was teammates with Pacers rookie forward Jarace Walker last year at Houston. Tennessee forward Josiah-Jordan James went to high school in Charleston, S.C. with Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith. Weber State forward Dillon Jones attended Sunrise Christian Academy alongside Pacers forward Kendall Brown. And Liberty forward Kyle Rode was teammates for four years in college with Darius McGhee, who just completed his rookie season with the Indiana Mad Ants.
Jamal Shead
Shead is likely the biggest name to most fans. The 6-foot point guard was one of the most decorated players in all of college basketball last season. He was a unanimous first-team All-American and the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year, while also becoming the first player ever to be named both Big 12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
The heart and soul of a Houston team that won 32 games and earned a second straight number-one seed in the NCAA Tournament, Shead averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game last season. His college career came to a frustrating end, when he injured his right ankle in the first half of a Sweet 16 game against Duke and had to watch from the sidelines as the Blue Devils knocked the Cougars out of the tournament.
Shead is known for his all-out effort, something he thinks will help him carve out a role at the next level.
“That’s just what I was taught over the four years (at Houston),” Shead said. “Playing as hard as you can for as long as you can, can take you a long way.”
Shead’s lack of size and limitations as a shooter (he shot just 29.6 percent from 3-point range over four years in college) might prevent him from hearing his name called in the first round, but his defensive prowess and offensive playmaking could entice a team looking for a backup point guard that can create for others and be a pest on defense, in a mold similar to Pacers veteran guard T.J. McConnell and New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado.
“If you can guard, you can find your way onto the court,” Shead said. “So I feel like going out there and trying to be the best defender I can, that will help me.”
Dillon Jones
While Shead had a high-profile college career, Jones played in relative obscurity for four years at Weber State. Jones had a prolific career in his own right, however, where he compiled over 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 steals, making him one of just four Division I players to reach all of those milestones in the last 30 years.
A 6-6, 235-pound forward, Jones is a strong, athletic wing who excels as a rebounder and did a little bit of everything at Weber State. He averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 2.0 steals last season, when he was named Big Sky MVP.
“Versatile, able to affect the game in a lot of different ways,” Jones said of how he’d describe his game. “Known for my rebounding, passing, playmaking. But throughout this process showing that I can defend, play off of other people. I think I’m a multi-dimensional player.”
Jones said he could see himself playing a similar role to Knicks wing Josh Hart, a wing who crashes the boards hard and can play multiple positions. Of the six players at Friday’s workout, Shead and Jones were the only two invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago earlier this month.
Over his time at Weber State, Jones developed a relationship with the school’s most famous former player, Damian Lillard. The future Hall of Famer has been a mentor for Jones throughout his career and continues to stay in touch with him as he now tries to follow in Lillard’s footsteps.
“The main thing he told me was don’t try to make it to the NBA,” Jones said of Lillard’s advice. “Just try to be the best version of yourself and if that version is supposed to be an NBA player, they’ll come and find you.”
Josiah-Jordan James
James is a former McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit who wound up spending five years at Tennessee, helping the Vols win the SEC regular-season title and advance to the Elite Eight this past season.
James played a variety of different roles over his time in Knoxville, carving out a reputation as a versatile player capable of playing and defending multiple positions. He came into school as a guard but was playing power forward and even small-ball center at times by the end of his career.
A 6-6 lefty, James averaged over 10 points per game for two seasons but was asked to play more of a supporting role last year as Tennessee built its offense around first-team All-American and likely lottery pick Dalton Knecht. James averaged 8.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals last season, but stepped up in some key moments. He scored 26 points in a win at Kentucky on Feb. 3 and had 15 points in a victory over Creighton in the Sweet 16.
Jones credited Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and his staff for teaching him the importance of adapting his game and sacrificing for the good of the team, something that he thinks will suit him well at the next level.
“I say if you can play for Coach Barnes, you can play for anybody,” James said. “How demanding he was and how consistent he was, he always required the best out of each and every one of us. Some days were better than others, it was easier to take hard coaching on some days. But it’s helped me be in this position. The way he’s just poured into me has been second to none. I appreciate him more than he knows.”
James goes way back with Nesmith, who was a year older than him at the Porter-Gaud School in Charleston. They teamed up to win three straight state championships. They were reunited on Friday, as Nesmith was still in town and dropped by to see his friend after his audition. James said Nesmith moved his flight to Charleston back so that he could stick around to see James when he visited Indianapolis.
“I’m so proud of him and all the success he’s been able to have,” James said of Nesmith. “He’s done so well for himself. I’ve known Aaron since I was in sixth grade. It doesn’t surprise me all the success that he’s been able to have. His work ethic has always been second to none. I’m just proud of him. And him to take some time out of his busy schedule, his busy day to come watch me, it means a lot. That’s my brother for life.”
Kyle Rode
Rode is another player who spent five years at one school, amassing just under 1,500 points during his time at Liberty. He took on a larger offensive role last season after the departure of McGhee, the Flames’ all-time leading scorer, and averaged a career-best 14.2 points and 4.9 rebounds.
The 6-7 forward’s ticket to the next level will be his shooting. He shot 39.2 percent from 3-point range over his career, including 38.8 percent on over eight attempts per game last season.
Rode said he loves to study basketball and listed Grizzlies sharpshooter (and former IPFW standout) John Konchar, Wizards forward Corey Kispert, and Warriors guard Klay Thompson as three players he tries to model parts of his game after.
“I love to play the game,” Rode said. “I’m a winner. Obviously, I feel like my shooting is probably my biggest strength that translates to the NBA level, but I have a high basketball IQ and love to compete.”
Blake Hinson
Another sharpshooter at Friday’s workout was Pittsburgh forward Blake Hinson. The 24-year-old had a unique journey in college, spending six years in school. He was a two-year starter at Ole Miss before transferring to Iowa State, but never actually played for the Cyclones due to a medical issue.
He resurfaced at Pitt in 2022-23 and had two stellar seasons for the Panthers. He averaged 15.3 points per game in his first year on campus and 18.5 points per game last year.
Hinson shot remarkably well on a high volume, converting 42.1 percent of his 3-point shots on nearly eight attempts per game last season. He went a perfect 7-for-7 from distance in a win at seventh-ranked Duke on Jan. 20 and 9-for-13 from beyond the arc while dropping a career-high 41 points against Louisville on Feb. 17.
Hinson credited Pitt with helping rediscover his love for the game after two years away.
“It’s the reason I’m here,” Hinson said. “It made me find who I am on and off the floor and it changed my life.”
Zyon Pullin
The final player at Friday’s workout was Florida guard Zyon Pullin. After four years at UC Riverside, the 6-4 Pullin joined the Gators last year as a grad transfer.
Pullin thrived even with the step up in competition going from the Big West to the SEC. He averaged 15.5 points, 4.9 assists, and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 44.9 percent from 3-point range.
Pullin was voted first-team All-SEC and set a school record with a 3.77 assist-to-turnover ratio.
“I think it helped a lot, just getting to play against some higher competition, some bigger name guys,” Pullin said of his move to the SEC. “Just playing at that platform was super big for me and my development.”
Pullin said a player that he looks up to in the NBA is current Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (who actually started his career at Florida). Pullin admires Nembhard’s reliability and versatility and hopes to carve out a similar role at the next level.
Originally posted on pacers.com