Pacers rookie Andrew Nembhard already making an impact in Year 1

Coming into the regular season, the Indiana Pacers were uncertain about rookie Andrew Nembhard‘s role in Year 1. In fact, the freshman did not see any action in the first game against the Wizards but has appeared in every game since and has been a great piece for the team off the bench. From the looks of it, he appears to be a potential mainstay for the franchise for the foreseeable future. So, what kind of impact has the rookie had thus far?

Andrew Nembhard has been running the show some in the second group when TJ McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton are on the bench. That can be a lot to throw on a young rookie in his first few games, but not for the Gonzaga product.

Currently, he is second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio behind only Kevon Looney. Up until the Bulls game, he was first in the league. If he can continue to handle the ball efficiently and get his teammates good looks, we should be able to see a lot of Andrew Nembhard in the future.

Andrew Nembhard has been a quiet, yet impactful addition to the Indiana Pacers even in his rookie year

Nembhard has done a good job of letting the game come to him and not doing too much. You see this a lot with rookies and I think that goes back to his time at Gonzaga. He was not the main man there but did a good job playing his role and doing his job. I like the way that he has a good mix of attacking the rim and being able to shoot the three-ball. He and fellow rookie Bennedict Mathurin have looked like anything but rookies. They look right at home.

His stats may not wow you by any means but the production that he is giving is unmatched. Through five games, he is averaging 7.5 points, three assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game on 44 percent shooting from the field, including 37 percent from three-point land; all of that on top of his sterling assist-to-turnover ratio.

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He has done a good job on the defensive end of the floor as well as he has been tasked with guarding even All-NBA caliber players in spurts. He does a great job breaking down and keeping his man in front of him. He is also adept at disrupting passes to ignite fastbreak opportunities.

As long as he continues to knock down shots at a decent clip and hold his own defensively, he will have a good chance at cementing himself in the rotation.

As mentioned, Andrew Nembhard has been impressive in his first few games looking at the numbers. Sure, there will be ups and there will be downs in this rookie campaign, but, from what we have seen so far, the future, both immediate and long-term, looks bright for the young point guard.