Second-round picks are always a shot in the dark. These are the top 2nd round picks in Indiana Pacers history.
The 2020 NBA Draft is on the horizon and the Pacers currently hold the 54th selection. Second-round selections are usually never newsworthy but the value can be found in this round.
Arguably the best center in the NBA, Nikola Jokic, was selected in the second round. I will touch on the best players that have been selected by the Blue and Gold in the second round of the NBA Draft.
Lance Stephenson (2010)
Lance Stephenson was selected with the 10th pick in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He played twice for the Pacers from 2010-14 and 2016-18. The “Born Ready” star was a fan favorite in Indy with his energetic, flashy style of play and his questionable antics.
Stephenson’s best season in the Blue and Gold came in 2013-14. He averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and led the league in triple-doubles with five. Stephenson was a big part of the Pacer teams that battled the Heatles in the early 2010s.
Lance began his second stint with the Pacers at the end of the 2016-17 season where he was brought in with six games left. The Pacers needed to win the last six games to make it in the postseason and they did just that.
Lance provided energy and life for the Pacers coming off the bench and it didn’t take long for Lance to be Lance. The following year Lance would be signed for the full season on one of my personal favorite Pacer squads. Lance Stephenson will forever be a fan (and personal) favorite in Indy.