Damien Wilkins was waived halfway through the season, but he was still a part of the 2017-18 Pacers story. Let’s look back at his time with Indiana.
It was a feel-good story in the midst of a sad story. Damien Wilkins learned he would be waived by the Pacers just before he was granted an opportunity to get his first start of the season against the Chicago Bulls back on January Sixth. While it was an unfortunate outcome, it made sense for the Pacers cap sheet to get rid of Wilkins when they did.
Wilkins made the most of that start, and the Pacers won by 39. But that was the end of his tenure with the Indiana Pacers, lasting just under half of a year. His impact went beyond his on-court play, though.
Wilkins would show up to Pacers games even after being waived. He was in the locker room in April even though he wasn’t on the team anymore. The whole squad loved and embraced him, despite him not actually on the team anymore.
His season was fascinating, and his future with the team could still be intriguing. Let’s stroll down memory lane and remember what Damien Wilkins brought to the Indiana Pacers this season.
The Good
The best thing Damien Wilkins did in Indiana was to leave a lasting influence on the team.
Jim Ayello wrote a story about exactly that for the Indianapolis Star As Wilkins departed, he received nothing but glowing reviews from Nate McMillan: “He was very vocal in the locker room, he was always talking to guys, grabbing them in-game and calming them down, encouraging them and supporting them. In practice, he was that guy who lifted other guys on days they didn’t feel like working. He was normally the first guy in the building to get his work in. He was the pro we thought we were getting.”
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Wilkins himself had nice things to say about his time in Indiana, too. “I hope, based on what people told me all the time around here, that I inspired them in some way to not give up on their dreams,” said Wilkins.
He was the perfect veteran. He was a positive voice for the younger guys and a steady and calming presence for everyone. A pro’s pro.
On the court, Wilkins’ play mirrored his off-court impact: a steady hand. He was always ready when he got called in to play, even though he only hit the court for 152 total minutes spanning 19 games.
He played defense adequately enough, he rarely turned the ball over (only five times in total), and he filled in the gaps as Indiana’s stop-gap starter when Bojan Bogdanovic had an ankle injury. In his only start, he dropped in 11 points and hit three deep balls. He filled in perfectly.
Wing depth, camaraderie, and veteran leadership. Is there anything more you can ask of a 38-year-old? Nope, and that is why Wilkins had an overwhelmingly positive impact in Indiana.
The Bad
Meh. I don’t feel like saying anything bad about Wilkins. He was a great guy who helped the young guys grow and helped the team win games and establish an identity. There’s not a lot of room to talk about bad.
If you have to start somewhere, I guess you could start with his struggles hitting three-pointers. He went 4/18 from deep on the year, just 22.2 percent. But that doesn’t tell the story. He went 3/6 in his final game from beyond the arc, so he was really 1/12 before that, a measly 8.3 percent. It isn’t a lot of attempts, but it also isn’t a good percentage.
Overall, Wilkins shot a suboptimal percentage in general, making exactly one-third of his total looks. You live with it from a guy you signed exclusively for wing depth and veteran presence, but that number still isn’t anything to write home about.
Outside of that, there really isn’t anything to complain about. He didn’t get to the line, like, at all. But that wasn’t his role and wasn’t a detriment to the team. Wilkins really did almost everything that was asked of him, and he did it well.
A gif to describe Damien Wilkins season
I get it. This gif doesn’t describe Wilkins season at all. It instead describes my feelings about him. But I miss him. He was an awesome guy to have around, and I hope his future is awesome.
What’s next for Damien Wilkins?
This article laid out Wilkins’ time with the Pacers, but did you know he spent the remainder of the season playing in the G League for the Greensboro Swarm?
He clearly still wants to play, based on his G League time and what he told Ayello is the aforementioned article. “I’m not giving up on [my dream]. I still want to play this one season out, and then who knows? (I‘m not going to get) discouraged, I’m a fighter. Always have been. It’s the foundation of my life and my career.”
So clearly Wilkins wants to continue playing. The demand for him may just be too small for that to be possible. But if he can’t play, maybe coaching is next.
He has ties to Nate McMillan as a coach from his days back in Seattle. They are buddies, and Wilkins is already well-liked in the organization. He has proven to be a smart basketball mind. What’s not to like about him being a future assistant coach?
Next: 2017-18 Pacers Player Reviews: Ben Moore
The next steps for Damien Wilkins? Who knows what it holds, but it will likely be something in basketball. Whether it is coaching or playing, Wilkins will do a damn good job at his role. But for now, we can appreciate what he brought to the 2017-18 Indiana Pacers, both on and off the court. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wilkins.