Indiana Pacers
Feb 18, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) drives to the basket past Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward John Collins (20) in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
The Indiana Pacers have the 18th pick in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft. Here are five players who could land in Indiana on draft day.
The Indiana Pacers have much to think about this summer: in-house free agents Jeff Teague and C.J. Miles, as well as the continuing saga of Paul George are just some of the items on Indiana's offseason agenda.
The Pacers also have the 18th overall pick in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft. While this might not be priority No. 1 this summer, the draft remains an important part of building any NBA team.
Calvin Murphy, Joe Dumars, Ricky Pierce, David West, Eric Bledsoe and J.R. Smith are just a few of the quality NBA players who were chosen 18th overall in their respective drafts.
This year, Indiana will have plenty of attractive options at No. 18 regardless of what happens earlier in the proceedings.
There are a number of underclassmen and international players who are worthy of being chosen 18th, and we will profile a handful of these prospects on the pages that follow.
All of these draft-eligible players have been linked to the Pacers by one or more reputable mock drafts published online. We will now present the five most likely options for Indiana at No. 18, listed in alphabetical order.
Jan 21, 2017; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Edrice Bam Adebayo (3) shoots the ball against South Carolina Gamecocks guard Duane Notice (10) in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated South Carolina 85-69. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Bam Adebayo, PF/C, Kentucky
2016-17 Statistics: 13.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Adebayo spent one year with the Kentucky Wildcats, and he showed enough promise during his freshman season to enter the 2017 NBA Draft as a likely mid-first round choice.
The 6'10" Adebayo is an exceptional athlete — big, strong and runs the court very well. He is an accomplished screen-setter, and he often comes off those screens to make plays off pick-and-roll action.
He doesn't have a very polished offensive game, but he has a solid midrange jump shot, as well as the ability to score near the basket on lobs, layups or put-backs.
Bam Adebayo is raw as a basketball player, reportedly missing assignments on a fairly regular basis during his one college season in Lexington. He doesn't possess low-post skills at this point, and his overall hoops IQ is considered below average.
Adebayo is an elite athlete who teams will try to develop in terms of his skill level, and because of this, his "bust potential" is pretty high — he'll need to work hard on his game and receive a lot of coaching in order to maximize his talent.
Bam Adebayo is a long-term project, but one that could pay off for a team willing to work with him and be patient. If a team is looking for immediate help, it is doubtful they will get it from Adebayo.
Feb 20, 2017; Morgantown, WV, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Jarrett Allen (31) dunks the ball during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
2016-17 Statistics: 13.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.5 BPG
The Pacers used their 2015 first round pick on Myles Turner, a center from Texas who has blossomed into a very good young player (14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in 2016-17).
Some mock drafts are projecting that Indiana will go to the Longhorn well once more by choosing another big man from Texas, Jarrett Allen. Allen is not only 6-foot-10, but he has very long arms that allow him to rebound at an elite level.
Allen does not have a great deal of quickness, but he runs the floor well. He also shoots well from midrange, so he may be able to play some minutes at power forward in the NBA.
Jarrett Allen's fundamentals need work, as can be said for most 19-year-old basketball players. He doesn't have a post game to speak of, and his body needs further development.
Allen appears to be a promising defensive center, but may not be much of a scorer at the NBA level, and he'll need a few years to fully develop his frame and his skill set.
Allen reportedly improved quite a bit during his freshman season at Texas, so his progress has been encouraging. However, Jarrett Allen is another young prospect who will require some time and patience on the part of any team who drafts him.
Mar 4, 2017; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward John Collins (20) shoots while being defended by Virginia Tech Hokies forward Zach LeDay (32) in the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports
John Collins, PF/C, Wake Forest
2016-17 Statistics: 19.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG
After two seasons with the Demon Deacons, big man John Collins left school to enter the 2017 NBA Draft. Collins is a young power forward/center who appears to have a lot to offer at the next level.
Collins is a top-tier athlete who plays with aggression and consistency. He has good post skills, and is considered to be a very good rebounder. He has a frame that can carry more weight if he is able to bulk up after entering the pro ranks.
Defense is also on his list of positive traits, as he is a noted help defender (rotating as well as blocking shots). In terms of intangibles, Collins has a reputation as a very hard worker both on and off the basketball floor.
Collins is not an outside shooter; he does almost all his scoring around the basket. However, he may be able to develop that part of his game in the NBA — he has good form on his shot, he just didn't attempt to score from distance in college.
There are some finer points that Collins needs to improve upon, including passing out of double-teams in the post and getting off his feet too often on defense as a result of trying to block shots.
Overall, John Collins is a very good frontcourt prospect who appears to be NBA-ready. He will prosper the most on a team that is willing to use him in post-up situations — not something every team does in today's NBA.
Mar 19, 2017; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) shoots the ball against South Carolina Gamecocks guard Sindarius Thornwell (0) during the first half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Luke Kennard, SG, Duke
2016-17 Statistics: 19.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.5 APG
Luke Kennard is fairly typical of players coached by Mike Krzyzewski at Duke — and that's a good thing. Kennard is a very fundamentally sound player, particularly on the offensive end.
Kennard was one of the best shooters in college basketball last season, showing the ability to score from the outside in a variety of ways: catch-and-shoot, using screens and pulling up off the dribble.
Luke Kennard has also been credited with being a strong leader at Duke, even as a sophomore. He is not a great athlete, but he is good enough to be able to get defenders off-balance and take the ball to the rim.
Kennard has nice size for a shooting guard, but he has short arms, so he may play smaller than his height at the pro level. However, the biggest deficiency in Kennard's game comes on the defensive end of the court.
He makes an effort on defense, but he simply isn't a talented defensive player. Unless he can make significant strides in that area, Kennard will likely be a player who needs to be "hidden" on that end of the floor.
Luke Kennard seems to fit the profile of a guy who can be a solid pro for a long time, but will probably never be a star. His ceiling may be fairly low, but the odds that he can at least be a quality role player in the NBA are very high.
Feb 23, 2017; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins guard T.J. Leaf (22) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
T.J. Leaf, PF, UCLA
2016-17 Statistics: 16.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.4 APG
T.J. Leaf has a very impressive set of skills for such a young player. He can do it all offensively — shoot from range, drive and score down low.
Leaf also showed very good defensive potential during his one season at UCLA. He uses good anticipation and foot movement to position himself well defensively.
T.J. Leaf is a very smart basketball player who also plays hard all the time. In short, he is very advanced for a 20-year-old with only a single season of college basketball experience under his belt.
The biggest knock on Leaf is that he needs to further develop his physique. He is light and not very strong, but that is very common (and correctable) for players of his age and experience level.
Leaf is a good athlete, but he will be pretty average in that category when he enters the NBA, which will limit his potential to become an All-Star at the pro level.
T.J Leaf projects as a low-risk prospect who should be a good NBA performer, although he may never be a dominant pro basketball player.
Leaf is very skilled and has most things teams look for in a draft prospect, but his body type and lack of explosion may ultimately hold him back a bit.
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