Pacers hit gold last year with Gonzaga sleeper. Could another be in its NBA draft future?
In 2022, the Pacers found a gem by selecting Andrew Nembhard with the 31st pick in the NBA draft. With picks Nos. 26, 29 and 32 in this year’s draft, the franchise will again search for an undervalued prospect.
One candidate in that range is Nembhard’s college teammate, Julian Strawther. The Gonzaga forward was in a group of six prospects that worked out for the Pacers on Friday morning at the Ascension St. Vincent Center.
Strawther projects as one of the most polished shooters in the upcoming draft. The 6-7, 209-pound Las Vegas product drilled 134 3-pointers at a 39% clip in his final two college seasons. Strawther showcased the ability to hit shots while spotting up and on the move, and he wants to prove to NBA teams his stroke is legit.
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“The main thing is showcasing my shooting,” Strawther said about what he wants to show teams throughout the workout process. “That’s what I’m known for coming out of a school.”
Strawther added he wants to show teams he can read ball screens. While he scored 15.2 points per game this year at Gonzaga, Strawther only averaged 1.3 assists and had more turnovers (56) than assists (49) in his junior campaign. Strawther’s playmaking (or lack thereof) was less than ideal for a perimeter prospect.
If the Pacers were to select Strawther, he may not need to be a creator for others. With Nembhard, All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton and last year’s No. 6 pick Bennedict Mathurin all being crucial to the Pacers’ core, Strawther thinks he would add value as a floor-spacer.
“There’s so many great creators on this team and having an All-Star point guard that loves to create,” Strawther said. “So just being there as a safety valve, as a shooter, be able to space the floor for guys like that.”
Bringing in another outside threat would continue the Pacers' trend. The Pacers attempted 37 3s per game this year, which was the seventh-highest rate in the NBA. Adding Strawther to the rotation would match the style Rick Carlisle’s squad played with this past season.
The opportunity to reunite with Nembhard intrigues Strawther. The duo played together for two seasons at Gonzaga. Strawther and Nembhard were part of a core that went 59-5 in that stretch and made the national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2021.
“That’d be amazing,” Strawther said of the chance to share the floor with Nembhard again. “His basketball IQ is through the roof and we’ve got prior chemistry, we’ve played together before. Me and him click real well on and off the floor, so that’d be an amazing opportunity.”
Nembhard started 63 games and averaged 9.5 points as a rookie for the Pacers in 2022-23 and played the seventh-most minutes of any rookie, and the most of all the second-rounders. Nembhard’s strong showing as a rookie did not surprise his old teammate.
“That’s the thing, nothing really stood out,” Strawther said about Nembhard’s rookie year. “It was exactly what I expected of him. I know he’s a great player and he’s one of those guys, you put him in any type of basketball situation, he’ll be able to thrive.”
Strawther said he’s picked Nembhard's brain about the transition to the NBA because of Nembhard’s successful rookie season.
Currently, Strawther is projected to be on the border of the first and second rounds when the NBA draft comes around on June 22. The Pacers have two late first-round selections (Nos. 26 and 29) and an early second-round pick (No. 32).
The Pacers also worked out Toumani Camara (Dayton), Tosan Evbuomwan (Princeton), Jaylen Martin (Overtime Elite), Landers Nolley II (Cincinnati) and Miles Norris (UC Santa Barbara) on Friday.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Pacers NBA draft workouts: Julian Strawther brings shooting
