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Pacers send Ike Anigbogu down the G-League, but…

By Jacob Lane

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 25: Ike Anigbogu #13 of the Indiana Pacers plays defense during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 25, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 114-96. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 25: Ike Anigbogu #13 of the Indiana Pacers plays defense during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 25, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 114-96. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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With Myles Turner struggling as of late, and the Pacers desperately needing a third big man to emerge, is there an opportunity for Ike Anigbogu?

Even with the Indiana Pacers announcing on Wednesday that Ike Anigbogu had been assigned to the G-League Affiliate Fort Wayne Mad Ants, I still believe that he can provide solid minutes for the Pacers when needed.

Anigbogu is a classic example of a player being drafted purely on potential. The 19-year-old center never started a game as a freshman at UCLA and only averaged about 13 minutes of playing time, but yet was still looked at to be a first-round pick heading into last June’s draft.

While the statistics don’t jump off the page and scream “first-round pick potential,” which nearly everyone who covered the draft agreed Anigbogu should be leading up to the draft, his intangibles, size (6’10, 250, 7’5 wingspan) and potential were highly valued and led him to being drafted.

Here was a bit of the scouting report from Ike Anigbogu leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft. You can read the rest here.

"StrengthsIke Anigbogu has the potential to become elite on the defensive end. He blocks a lot of shots, as noted before, but his agility is what’s most impressive. He moves around very well, and doesn’t just protect the paint. If he gets switched onto a pick-and-roll, Anigbogu does a great job at getting up to challenge the defender instead of staying in the paint. His positioning IQ is great for such a young man.Speaking of how young he is, Anigbogu is 18 years old. He won’t be 19 until October. That’s good and bad. It’s good, since he has plenty of time to polish his skills. It’s bad because they need a lot of polishing.Anigbogu finishes strong around the rim with his strong body. He did a good job of bringing a ton of energy into the game at UCLA. Due to all the easy looks he got at the rim, he shot 56.4 percent from the field."

Even with the 6’10, 250-pound center not being much of a stat producer for the Bruins, averaging 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, he still declared for the 2017 draft and was chosen 47th overall by the Indiana Pacers.

37 games into his rookie season Anigbogu has only appeared in eight games, averaging 3 minutes, and putting up minimal numbers — 1.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.3 blocks on 38% shooting. Those numbers at first glance don’t warrant an opportunity to play, however, when you look at games where playing time extended longer than 3 minutes, you can see the potential is there.

Look no further than the Pacers last game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With the game being out of reach for Indiana, Head Coach Nate McMillan turned to the 19-year-old, and in four minutes he put up 7 points,  4 rebounds, and 1 block. In that time you could see his potential oozing out. The 19-year-old ran the floor with great intensity and looked like he belonged.

While it was garbage time (trust me I know, no need to point that out) it showed what Anigbogu could provide with a larger sample size.

It’s no secret that

Myles Turner 

struggled occasionally on the defensive side of the floor through the month of December, and when he’s out of games the Pacers have had even more troubles guarding opposing big men.

Domantas Sabonis has been very good off the bench as the backup center, but he’s known for his all-around face-up scoring and rebounding, rather than interior defense. And while McMillan loves to use guys like wings like Bojan Bogdanovic in the four spot in certain situations, the rebounding tends to tilt in the favor of the opposition. Some may suggest Al Jefferson should get more time as he is the more experienced big man on the Pacers bench, but his age and lack of athleticism make him look like the league has passed him bye.

Anigbogu, in limited minutes, could pair very well with the finesse of Domantas Sabonis and provide the Pacers with a rim-protecting presence and interior enforcer.

I’m not sure if Nate McMillan has seen enough yet from raw Ike Anigbogu to believe he is capable of playing a larger role for the Pacers, who currently sit in the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Next: Pacers slide back in the rankings

However, if the Pacers get serious about defending the rim when Turner isn’t on the floor, Anigbogu would be the perfect guy for the job.

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