Young Canadian duo ready to help lead Pacers’ rebuild

LAS VEGAS – It didn’t take long for fans of the rebuilding Indiana Pacers to get a glimpse of what the future could look like.

Less than one minute into Sunday’s Summer League contest against Sacramento, Andrew Nembhard drove into the lane and blew by a couple of Kings players.

The crafty point guard from Aurora, Ont., fired a pass to the corner, where countryman Bennedict Mathurin was waiting. The smooth-shooting and ultra-competitive Montrealer caught the ball, pump faked a defender into the air, stepped back and drained a three-pointer to put Indiana on the board.

For those familiar with what the Canadian duo brings, plays like this won’t come as a surprise.

A four-year college player out of Gonzaga, the 22-year-old Nembhard is as poised and under control as a rookie guard gets. Having averaged 5.8 assists as a senior with the Bulldogs last season, he’s got excellent vision and a natural feel for the game.

Mathurin, a 38 per cent three-point shooter in his two seasons at Arizona, can flat out score. The 20-year-old averaged 17.7 points in 37 games for the No. 1 seed Wildcats last season and dropped 30 points on TCU in the second round of the NCAA tournament in March.

Their chemistry is still a work in progress, but it’s progressing quickly.

They first met last summer at a brief training camp with the senior men’s national team in Tampa.

“I’ve been watching his game ever since and following him, and I hit him up every so often,” Nembhard said. “He’s a great dude, great young guy, and I just want to see him do well. So, we’re gonna keep building that relationship.”

Their paths converged at last month’s NBA draft, when the Pacers selected Mathurin sixth overall – making him the highest-drafted player ever from Montreal – and then took Nembhard with the 31st pick.

With many of Indiana’s young players assembling in Las Vegas ahead of Summer League last week, Mathurin and Nembhard made an instant bond, which should help ease the transition as the two guards prepare for their first NBA seasons.

“Just having a player who comes from the same place as you who also faced the same challenges as you is pretty good,” Mathurin told TSN following Indiana’s 103-96 loss to Sacramento on Sunday.

“We’re two guys from Canada trying to prove ourselves and we’re kinda going through similar things,” Nembhard added. “So, it’s easy to bounce things off of each other.”

With a strong showing at the combine and a series of impressive stops on the pre-draft workout circuit, Nembhard was one of the biggest risers of this class, going from someone on the cusp of not hearing his name called at all to a borderline first-rounder in a matter of weeks. Nick Nurse described his workout with the Raptors as “spectacular” and “almost flawless”, but he was off the board by the time Toronto made its 33rd-overall selection. Indiana scooped him up with the first pick of the second round. It’s an interesting fit for him and for Mathurin.

After qualifying for the playoffs in nine of 10 seasons, the Pacers have missed the postseason in each of the past two. They won 25 games last season, their fewest since the 1984-85 campaign. The sixth pick, which they used on Mathurin, was their highest since they selected Rik Smits second overall in 1988.

In February, they traded all-star centre Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento in a deal that landed them talented 22-year-old sophomore Tyrese Haliburton. They recently moved veteran Malcolm Brogdon to Boston for role players and a first-round pick, freeing up minutes at the guard position.

“I think it’s a great fit,” Nembhard said. “I think that they value guys that can read the game and make smart plays, and I think that’s where I fit in. We play a lot of flow, a lot of triggers that allow guys to use their brains and just make reads out there and I think that’s where I can [be successful].”

There are going to be growing pains along the way and Sunday’s loss was their first taste of them. They both showed flashes. A few minutes into the game, Mathurin drove into fellow lottery pick Keegan Murray and finished through contact. Later, Nembhard pushed the ball in transition, dribbled into traffic and hit an off-balance layup.

Overall, though, it was a tough afternoon in defeat. Mathurin shot just 6-of-16 from the field, while Nembhard committed five fouls and an uncharacteristic five turnovers.

For a better indication of what they’re capable of, consider Indiana’s Summer League opener on Friday, a 96-84 win over Charlotte. Mathurin scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, and while Nembhard’s balanced albeit modest line of five points, five rebounds and five assists won’t blow you away, he ran the offence and managed the game as a lead guard should – the Pacers were a plus-21 with him on the floor.

Given their backgrounds, they should be prepared for the ups and downs that come with being a rookie in the NBA, which is why Indiana feels strongly that they’re well suited for this level.

Nembhard made his debut for the senior national team when he was 18. Since then, he started 115 of the 131 games he played over four college seasons with Florida and Gonzaga, making him one of the most experienced players in his draft class.

With a unique journey that saw him complete high school at the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico, Mathurin took a big step forward in his sophomore campaign with Arizona last season. Those that know him best rave about his supreme confidence and competitive spirit. He’s also spent the last couple summers training with established NBA players, including mentor Luguentz Dort, the defensive-minded Oklahoma City Thunder guard, who grew up in the same neighbourhood.

“[Dort’s] talked to me about the NBA in general, telling me that you’re gonna face a lot of distractions, you’re gonna have to stay focused and prioritize [the right things],” said Mathurin. “Just stay focused.”

With Nik Stauskas coming over from Boston in the Brogdon deal and joining Mathurin, Nembhard and Oshae Brissett, the Pacers could have four Canadians on the roster when the new season tips off in the fall – five if you include sophomore Chris Duarte, who also has ties to Montreal. In either case, it would be the most Canadians ever on one team. The Raptors currently have three: Chris Boucher, Khem Birch and Dalano Banton. Indy could become Canada’s adopted second team.

“I’ve always felt that support [from Canadian basketball fans] growing up,” Nembhard said. “It’s just something I’m so blessed to have. I think Canada is a country that sticks behind its players and would do anything for them.”

If there was ever any doubt, there shouldn’t be now. The Pacers have officially turned the page as an organization and embraced the youth movement. Whatever they’re building will take time, but Mathurin and Nembhard are undoubtedly going to be part of it. They should have an opportunity to show what they've got right out of the gate.