Pacers Draft Prep: Peter Jok
By Luke Parrish
The Pacers are officially in draft mode. Prospects from all over are flocking to Indianapolis for pre-draft visits, including Iowa’s Peter Jok.
Iowa Guard Peter Jok participated in a pre-draft workout for the Pacers on Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Jok, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Sudan, spent four years with the Hawkeyes. After playing sparingly as a freshman, the Iowa guard started at least 21 games in each of his final three seasons.
Strengths
Score, score, score. Jok’s senior season at Iowa was his best of his career as he averaged 19.9 points, up from 16.1 as a junior. He also shot well from the free throw line, knocking down 88.1 percent over his career. Perhaps his breakout game came this past February against Indiana as he scored 35, shooting 22-for-23 from the charity stripe. Scoring goes a long way in the NBA, and if Jok can get buckets at the next level, he could stick around for a long time.
He also averaged over five rebounds and two assists in 2016-17, which aren’t bad numbers for a primary scorer.
Weaknesses
Jok’s biggest hurdle to reach the next level comes on defense. His career high for blocks came during his sophomore campaign where he tallied a whopping four blocks. Improving his physicality and defensive awareness may turn Jok into a solid NBA role player.
Depending on what Indiana does in the first round, Jok could definitely be an option in the second round. His offense should translate to the NBA, but his defense is not quite there yet. The Iowa product has the tools to play in the association. However, the first round is likely too high for him, especially since he is already 23 years old and is not a complete two-way player.
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It may take a year or two for Jok to be ready, but patience could provide the Pacers with a huge steal down the road. In sum, taking a chance on Jok late is a risk the Pacers should be willing to take.