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Clippers' Bennedict Mathurin Has a Message for Pacers Ahead of His Return to Indiana

The Los Angeles Clippers' trade deadline addition is facing his former team in Indiana for the first time.
Cem Yolbulan|
Mar 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin (9) dunks the ball against the Indiana Pacers in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin (9) dunks the ball against the Indiana Pacers in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers head to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Friday with the hopes of extending their winning streak to four. Hitting their stride and getting healthy at the perfect time, the Clippers are clear favorites to defeat the team with the worst record in the NBA. While the Clippers are laser-focused on clinching a postseason birth through the Play-In Tournament, Friday's game carries a special significance for Bennedict Mathurin.

The former Pacer, who was drafted by Indiana with the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is back in Indiana for the first time since the trade to the Clippers. The 23-year-old swingman will be back at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse after spending three and a half seasons there. Naturally, Mathurin has a few complex emotions ahead of the game.

Bennedict Mathurin Is Emotional Ahead of His Return to Indiana

After the Clippers' win over the Raptors on Wednesday, Mathurin was asked about the reception he expects in Indiana. The talented scorer responded, "Indiana breathes basketball. Everybody knows that… The fans love me and I love the fans over there. They mean everything to me. Well, meant. I’m sorry. A little bit still do. It’s gonna be a lot of love. At the end of the day, Indiana drafted me. Still my second home to this day," per reporter Joey Linn.

The way Mathurin corrected himself between "they mean everything to me" and "meant" shows the difficulty of going back to a place you called home for many years. Being back at the arena where his professional basketball journey started will surely bring up emotions for Mathurin. It's also safe to assume that Pacers fans will warmly welcome him since he was such a big part of their iconic NBA Finals run last year.

Mathurin didn't turn into the two-way star some Pacers fans were hoping for when they drafted him, but he gave them several years of elite scoring off the bench. Due to their financial constraints, the Pacers were uninterested in giving Mathurin a contract extension and moved him as part of the Ivica Zubac trade with the Clippers.

So far, this has benefitted Mathurin, who has gotten a big opportunity in LA, playing 30 minutes per game and averaging over 20 points. He is taking more shots per game than ever, boosting his value ahead of the offseason along the way. If he ends up getting the big payday he was hoping for, he will be grateful to the Pacers for trading him when they did. He will also undoubtedly be extra motivated to prove to his former organization that they have made a big mistake.

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Cem Yolbulan
CEM YOLBULAN

Cem has worked as an Associate Editor for FanSided's Regional Betting Network sites for two years and continues to be a contributor, producing NBA and NFL content. He has also previously written soccer content for Sports Illustrated. He has extensive prior experience covering the NBA for various Fansided sites. Cem has been living in the Washington, DC area for over 15 years since moving to the United States from Istanbul, Turkey. On any given day, he can be found watching soccer or basketball on his couch with his many cats and dogs.

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