Why Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard is basketball’s best-kept secret

The Indiana Pacers found a diamond in the rough when they drafted Andrew Nembhard in 2022. The No. 31 pick from Canada has played well above his billing since joining Tyrese Haliburton and company.

At 23 years old, Nembhard plays basketball with the maturity of a seasoned veteran. The cerebral combo guard played 75 games last season and started in 63, averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 assists in 27.6 minutes a night. His relative lack of mistakes and his measured decision-making resemble Tyus Jones, one of the most underappreciated point guards in today’s game.

In 24 games without Haliburton, Nembhard put up per-game averages of 13.8 points and seven assists. He also recorded a career-high 31 points to go along with 13 assists in a road win over Golden State. Nembhard also notched a career-high 15 assists at the tail end of his rookie campaign, further cementing his status as a dime-dropper. His 15 dimes marked the most by any rookie last season.

Nembhard first put the NBA world on notice last November when he beat the final buzzer with a game-winning three in the face of LeBron James.

Following his late-game heroics, Nembhard’s teammates showered him with water. It was a moment the youngster will never forget.

From the time he stepped foot in Indiana, the 6-foot-5 playmaker has meshed well with the Pacers’ young core. His offensive IQ and defensive energy have molded him into one of Indiana’s primary two-way contributors.

Nembhard has served as one of Indy’s best perimeter defenders, providing consistent effort and toughness when guarding his opponents. He often takes on high-quality players or even All-Stars as defensive assignments. Last season, he most notably guarded LeBron James and Steph Curry when he played against them. The Pacers won both of those contests.

During his 31-point outburst in Golden State, Nembhard served as Curry’s primary defender. The greatest shooter of all time shot 3-for-17 from the field that night.

Nembhard should primarily play point guard for the Pacers’ second unit

Assuming his countryman Bennedict Mathurin slots in as a regular starter next season, Nembhard will make a strong case for the best backup point guard in the NBA. Backed by an impressive 2.92 assist-to-turnover ratio in games without Haliburton, he would have the best vision on most rosters in the league. If not for Haliburton, Nembhard would almost certainly run the show as Indy’s main distributor.

While he has the size and adaptability to play as a shooting guard, Nembhard brings his very best with the basketball in his hands. He ran the offense in Gonzaga with his 5.8 assists per game, and he can run the show for Indiana’s second unit for years to come.

When Indiana’s young core has fully developed, it would make sense to find Nembhard contending for Sixth Man of the Year on an annual basis. As long as he is playing for the Pacers, Nembhard will thrive as one of the best bench players in the league — with the skill set to start if needed.

In his 2022-23 exit interview, Nembhard discussed his desire to get better in all areas of the game and to help the Pacers make the playoffs next season. He also spoke about Indiana’s exciting future.

"“The sky’s the limit. We’re super young right now, so I think there’s no set goal. We just want to keep getting better and learn from our experiences… So I think next year taking that step to the playoffs will be a good kind of step forward for us.”"

Whether the Pacers make next year’s playoffs or not, one thing is certain. They have the NBA’s best-kept secret, and he’s only getting better.

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