Via NBA.com/pacers:
On the way into the NBA Draft Lottery last month in Chicago, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin and his agent.
Mathurin’s agent told Buchanan that they thought he could be a great fit in Indiana. After the lottery unfolded and Indiana received the sixth overall pick, Mathurin chatted with another high-ranking Pacers staffer — head coach Rick Carlisle.
“It was obvious from our end that he viewed this as a great fit,” Buchanan said “…It was likewise on our end. It just felt right.”
Sure enough, the Pacers selected Mathurin with their first pick on Thursday night.
The 6-6 guard averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season as a sophomore for the Wildcats. Mathurin, who turned 20 on Sunday, was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and a consensus second-team All-American.
Mathurin will add to Indiana’s impressive collection of young talent on the perimeter, forming a formidable trio with 22-year-old Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte, the 13th overall pick in last year’s draft.
