The Indiana Pacers drafting Taelon Peter back in June was a complete shock to most, but after his preseason debut, it's looking like the team was absolutely right to make this decision.
Indiana selected the Liberty alum with the 54th pick of the draft, even though the general consensus was that he was going to be undrafted anyway and was widely unknown. Additionally, guard Ryan Nembhard (yes, the brother of Andrew) was still available, and many fans were hoping the Pacers would draft him instead.
It remains to be seen exactly what type of impact Peter will make in Indiana, but early on, things are looking great for him.
During the Pacers' preseason win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, Peter played a game-high 28 minutes and made the most of his opportunity. In the victory, the 23-year-old recorded 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.
The rookie guard played just about as well as fans could have expected him to. In addition to his stats, Peter looked solid defensively, made quick decisions when moving the ball (which is absolutely crucial in Indiana's system), and he looked good in transition and running the length of the court.
Taelon Peter with the two-handed fastbreak flush 🔨 pic.twitter.com/eIS5aCzU7g
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 8, 2025
Peter's next opportunity to show what he is capable of will be when the Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder in their second preseason game of the year on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m. ET. So far, though, fans should be thrilled with how he is looking.
Taelon Peter just proved the Pacers made the right draft decision
This may be a bit of an overreaction, but there are reasons to believe that Peter can make an impact at the NBA level as soon as this season. Not only did he look good against Minnesota, but he also looked solid in summer league, averaging 9.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 57.1% from the field in four games, and he passes the eye test.
Peter is currently on a two-way contract, but it is clear that the Pacers like him. They took a chance on him in the draft, and they even moved on from Enrique Freeman to ensure that he stays with the organization as a rookie.
Given that this upcoming season will be all about experimentation for Indiana, it might not be too much of a stretch to think that Peter can become a rotational player for the team sooner rather than later. Plus, the Pacers' depth is already looking like a potential problem, so they may be even more interested in testing different players.
It is early, but Peter is looking good in Indiana so far, and he might become a big contributor in Rick Carlisle's system. The Pacers made a bold move at the draft, but for now, it is looking like they made the right call.