The Pacers have their best draft pickup in years with the addition of Bennedict Mathurin with this years 6th overall pick. The rookie has been a revelation and is competitive for the rookie of the year award against Orlando’s Paolo Banchero. A new interview from Dime Magazine had some surprising details that Pacers fans should be really excited about.
Bennedict Mathurin wants to earn his place among the NBA's best and understands the work that goes into it. As his rookie year has progressed, those in Indiana have come to understand just how serious he is.https://t.co/IRGX2xF4fw pic.twitter.com/sP8opnKjn6
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) March 3, 2023
1. He’s constantly looking for ways to improve as a player and a professional.
One of the things we have heard repeatedly since Mathurin entered the league is that he is constantly looking for ways to improve. Rick Carlisle talked about how Mathurin during his draft interview wanted to put up shots and work with the Pacers head coach.
"“He was one of the most, if not the most, proactive in terms of seeking out areas for improvement and coaching of anyplayer we’ve had in the NBA Academy,” says Chris Ebersole, the NBA’s Head of Elite Basketball."
It appears that this has always been the case with Chris Ebersole, the NBA’s Head of Elite Basketball, confirming that he saw the same thing in Mathurin during his time with the NBA Academy. And it is surly paying off with how well he is playing early on.
2. He feels that the biggest thing he needs to improve in his NBA game is his defense.
Mathurin from the moment he arrive in the NBA has been an awesome force on the offensive side of the ball. But Mathurin talked about what he felt was the most needed improvement from his game at this point:
"“Defense is one thing I’m really trying to improve on,” Mathurin continues. “I know I’m great on ball. Sometimes I gotta adjust to the next man has to be there. It’s not like college, you know? So, I just got to adjust to being a better off-ball defender."
And we agree. Mathurin has been just OKAY on defense, and if he wants to be become the All-Star he can be, he will surely need to improve on this end of the court. Myles Turner is an elite defensive big, but the Pacers desperately need more defense on and around the perimeter, something that backcourt mate Tyrese Haliburton could stand to work on himself. Lucky for us, Mathurin might just be competitive enough to actually put in the work to become the great defender he can be.
3. He has the respect of his teammates and his coach.
The piece featured quotes from many of the Pacers veteran players, as well as their hall-of-fame coach on what makes Mathurin so unique compared to many of his peers. We list a few of them below.
Tyrese Haliburton praised him for his high IQ and attacking ability.
"“He gets to the foul line at such a high rate, especially for a rookie, and you don’t do that without having an IQ and a knack for drawing fouls and how to attack the right way, what guys to attack.”"
TJ McConnell praised him for his confidence and poise in high pressure situations and settings:
"“You just really don’t see rookies with the poise, confidence, and just the skill set that he has.”"
And Rick Carlisle talked about what sets Mathurin apart from nearly every other rookie that he has ever worked with.
"“One of the defining characteristics about Benn is that while most rookies are hitting the wall right now, in the NBA season, eight games before the All-Star Break, he’s actually gaining momentum.”"
You don’t normally see that high of praise for rookies in the NBA unless they are truly on the path to superstardom. Which means that the Pacers truly got a special player with last year’s lottery pick and one that has near limitless potential.
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