Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin clears the air about viral James Harden clip

Indiana Pacers star rookie Bennedict Mathurin has already made a lot of headlines in just the first month of his career, but of course, the first-year player has also had his own welcome-to-the-NBA moment.

On Oct. 25, when the Pacers took on and ultimately lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on the road, Mathurin saw himself on the least envied side of the spotlight when star guard James Harden seemingly caught him in a crossover, draining his patented step-back three after sending the rookie to the ground in an ankle-breaker which made fans, well, lose it.

However, it seems like Mathurin has his own version of the facts, which corroborated some fans’ commentary on the viral sequence.

Indiana Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin clears the air about viral James Harden clip

In an interview with Bleacher Report, Mathurin cleared the air about what really happened in the purported “ankle-breaker”.

"My welcome-to-the-NBA moment—well it was not even really a welcome-to-the-NBA moment—but it was when me and James Harden had the little thing where he stepped on my foot and everybody thought it was an ankle-breaker."

Looking at the video, it is quite apparent that Harden indeed accidentally stepped on the rookie’s left foot as he tried to make some separation for a three. But of course, fans all over the world, especially those obsessed with the glitz and glamor, do not really care much about the details.

Anyway, Mathurin recognizing the viral clip as his NBA baptism moment is quite the humble gesture from the budding star. If he keeps up his current, mind-boggling pace, he should soon find himself being at the good side of these highlights, victimizing defenders.

For now, however, the rookie will not be able to serve a potentially cold revenge to the superstar, as the Pacers and the 76ers do not meet until the next calendar year on Jan. 4. Until then, Mathurin should look forward to going toe-to-toe with the league’s other big names as the team faces a tougher schedule.