Keifer Sykes and his time with the Indiana Pacers in 2021-22

The Indiana Pacers went through a lot of roster turnover over the course of this past season. They started the year off with solid depth at the point guard position, but injuries would soon highlight a bigger need in the second unit.

Keifer Sykes joined the Indiana Pacers after playing for their G-League affiliate the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

T.J. McConnell’s injury to the shooting wrist led to a quick realization that their depth

After Brad Wannamaker’s departure, the Pacers turned to Keifer Sykes to fill the slot of the backup guard to relieve Malcolm Brogdon and others from primary ball-handling duties. Sykes would make his rookie debut on Dec. 29, 2021, against the Charlotte Hornets.

Sykes stepped up in a big way. In just his second NBA start, he scored 22 points in Madison Square Garden, which led the Indiana Pacers in scoring. This would be his only game in scoring over 20 points during his first NBA tenure.

Sykes would go on to play 32 games in Indiana this season and have a much greater impact on the floor, which Indiana was in need of. Unfortunately for Sykes, the Pacers signed Lance Stephenson and he quickly grabbed the backup point guard minutes and was often creating for others on the floor and that minimized the need for Sykes.

I spoke with Sykes earlier in the year to ask about the adjustment to the NBA game.

"It has been a quick, really sharp learning curve but I do feel like I belong. I just want to get better each day, and I feel like with that mindset things will continue to be positive for me. There is not a specific route or goal that I have, I just always want to maximize my time and opportunity”."

Sykes was cut from the team just before the end of the season to free up space for the additions of Duane Washington Jr. and Terry Taylor. He averaged 5.6 points a game with 2 assists in Indiana along with 1.4 rebounds.

Sykes’s story is fascinating. He traveled to many different parts of the world to compete and play the game of basketball with the hopes of making it to the NBA one day.

"“I’ve bounced around and I’ve done that strategically – not staying in one place. I started in Korea, then I went to Turkey, to the Champions League in Italy, then I went to China, then the Euro League in Mulan, and just this past year I played on three teams, Turkey, Australia, Greece, and the TBT. I’m always excited to test my game and the G-League is another area where you have to test yourself”."

At 28 years old he would get his opportunity and now that his first NBA season came and gone, he will be looking for a team in need of an all-effort point guard.