Bennedict Mathurin has been very active on social media this summer (if you include the Story post of him dunking on Myles Turner) and just recently dropped a hype video of himself on Instagram. The video shows a combination of of game, interview and practice footage setting the stage for potentially the most explosive season he has had up to this point in his career. Remembering where he came from and setting his sights on his ultimate goal – being a bona fide NBA star.
As he going into his fourth season, this one seems to have immense possibility for breakout for the former Arizona star.
Preparation is a needed foundation for a fourth season leap
As the posted video rolls, we see footage of Mathurin in the gym alongside high-octane moments from the court. Mathurin has always been a mentally strong player, but this self-belief needs to be coupled with off-season development and on court success. Believing that he is a great player won’t be enough for him at this point.
Currently without an extension, the Canadian native should want badly to make heads turn over his next year on the court. While he could still sign an extension, the one-year remaining is essentially a prove-it deal now. Mathurin has the ultimate opportunity to jump from a work-in-progress prospect to a star-in-the-making and the money that would come along with it.
A Mathurin star turn would be ideal for the Pacers
With the loss of Tyrese Haliburton, it is not news that Mathurin is in line for a starting role and a potentially hefty number of minutes this upcoming season. He is potentially taking the developmental track towards stardom, but he has shown enough flashes that, if he can put it all together, he can be a force in the NBA. Mathurin has been a quality sixth man, but that does not capitalize on the potential the team believes he has.
While there would be a slew of lineup questions if Mathurin becomes the second or third best player on the team, this is a champagne problem. Carlisle might be able to unlock some incredible small-ball lineups, increased defense off the bench, or something else entirely. No matter how well Nembhard and Nesmith have played, or how much potential Walker (or Furphy) may have, Mathurin becoming a star-level player is always going to be the best outcome for his trajectory with the team.