While it is obvious that Tyrese Haliburton is a star in this league and a potential MVP candidate in years to come, many other players on the Pacers who are 25 and under are contributors to building a championship team for the foreseeable future.
Outside of Haliburton, two of the names that stick out are Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin, who were the two highest of the Pacers' draft picks in 2022. Nembhard, a defensive-minded point guard who currently is running the shooting guard position next to Haliburton, has already started over 100 games in just two seasons as the 31st pick of his draft class.
While his scoring numbers may not be the highest at 9.3 per game, the 24-year-old Canadian out of Gonzaga is having a very productive season defensively and as a good ball-handler to help Haliburton and others get open.
The Pacers also miss Bennedict Mathurin but will have him as a part of their core for the future
At the age of 21, Mathurin has already shown flashes of being a potential all-star in the future. He plays with a kind of confidence that is always desired in younger players. The sixth pick in 2022 out of Arizona, he is one of the up-and-coming Canadians in the league along with Nembhard.
Before his season-ending injury, his 14.5 points per game was fourth on the team and first off, the bench. He is a good complement piece to T.J. McConnell who he typically plays a lot with and has a good spacing mindset to find himself open for a Haliburton pass on occasions.
23-year-old Ben Sheppard is the definition of exceeding his rookie expectations. As the 26th pick of the 2023 draft, there was no guarantee he would find minutes until he showed up. He has become a defensive leader on the team. Whether it is spacing the floor on defense or showing off his catch-and-shoot skills, Sheppard has found himself in the rotation now consistently and in the future will be a valuable defensive asset on a winning Pacers team.
Jarace Walker, while not getting the most minutes, has been able to put up some nice production in his limited role. The eighth pick out of Houston has made 29 appearances averaging 3.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Only 20 years old, his future and ceiling are bright and high. With his rookie year almost over and year number two just around the corner, Walker will be getting looked at more next season and will look to be a major contributor to a successful Pacers squad.
The 2020 draft saw four lotter picks end up on the Pacers for this season, as Haliburton, Obi Toppin, Jalen Smith and Aaron Nesmith are all rocking the Pacers as their homes after being drafted by other teams only four years ago.
They have all found a role whether it is being the star of the team, the best defensive starter, or two of the most consistent role players in the league, the Pacers have been able to develop these lottery picks who were given up on early by their drafted teams and helped them become valuable assets. Toppin being 26, and the others just turning 24, they are all in the midst of entering their respective primes and are all players to look out for in the future.
While many things can happen during the off-season, there is no question that all of these players may be looked at by other teams, but the Pacers are home to these players and would hope to continue to be able to develop these young stars and build a championship dynamic.