It’s official. Following the NBA Draft Lottery, the Indiana Pacers will officially be selecting sixth on draft night, a slight drop-off for a team with the fifth-best odds at the top selection.
Many are relatively underwhelmed with the results of the lottery, but the Pacers, as many pointed out, could’ve been in a worse position. Nevertheless, Indiana will have its highest draft selection in more than 30 years.
The upcoming draft has a firmly set top-thre (Smith, Holmgren, and Banchero), but the Pacers still have a good crop of prospects to choose from. Here are the three best players that they should target with the sixth overall pick.
1. Shaedon Sharpe will galvanize the Indiana Pacers scoring profile
Shaedon Sharpe’s draft forecasts have varied, but he remains a constant in the top six at least. Boasting an exuberant scoring game, the Kentucky standout has what it takes to amplify the Pacers’ backcourt, as his raw talent as a scorer, length and size, and finishing ability will be an easy fit to envision in Rick Carlisle’s favored attack.
While having Chris Duarte evokes a bit of an overlap, there’s enough variance with Sharpe’s game to justify the Pacers targeting him with the sixth overall selection. For a backcourt rotation primarily headed by gunners and spot-up shooter, Sharpe’s bouncy game could be what unlocks the potential of Indiana’s new run-and-gun style.