Tyrese Haliburton reveals shocking standout during first day of training camp

Today is a big day for Indiana Pacers fans as it is the first day of training camp and the official start of the 2024-25 season. Last season was an impressive campaign for the Pacers. Despite having low expectations, entering the playoffs as the No. 6 seed, the Pacers made it to the conference finals for the first time since 2014 before getting swept by the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

Now, as the Pacers prepare to follow up on last season, there will be some big opportunities for players to break out and take a leap. Last season, it was Andrew Nembhard. The season before, it was Aaron Nesmith. And although we have yet to see the Pacers in action for the 2024-25 campaign, we may already have an idea of who this year's breakout player could be.

Tyrese Haliburton says Ben Sheppard 'has looked really good' in training camp so far

According to SI.com's Tony East, Haliburton has been most impressed with Sheppard so far during the first day of training camp. Per East, Haliburton said that the 23-year-old "has looked really good" and "looks more comfortable" on the court.

This latest Sheppard development is certainly a welcoming sign for Pacers fans. Last season, during his rookie year, the guard averaged 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. Though these numbers are forgettable, Sheppard enjoyed a larger role as the season progressed and even started two games during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Ultimately, Sheppard is unlikely to legitimately compete for a starting spot on this Pacers roster. However, he proved by the end of last season that he is a valuable asset to the team. With Haliburton's approval of him now, and a recent Nike endorsement deal, it is very possible he takes a major leap next season and assumes an even larger role on the team.

As Haliburton says, Sheppard looks a lot more comfortable during training camp. Naturally, a sense of confidence should come with that, which should help Sheppard become the best version of himself on the court. Furthermore, this lines up perfectly with what Sheppard said about himself and what his goals were earlier this year.

During Summer League, Sheppard spoke about an area he thinks he can improve in. The Atlanta native said he needs to "be more aggressive" in terms of his shot selection.

"I don't think it's about points," Sheppard said. "But they definitely want me to be more aggressive. Taking shots that sometimes I'll maybe pass up. I wouldn't say it's jacking a bunch of shots up, but it's always trying to make the right play and be aggressive in my own speed."

With what Haliburton said about him, it seems likely that Sheppard is prepared to take that next step as an NBA player and become a bigger contributor for the Pacers.