Indiana Pacers Play to their Strengths in Second Round of 2025 NBA Draft

The Indiana Pacers are fresh off an impressive two-year run.

After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024, Rick Carlisle's team exceeded expectations in 2025, knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks en route to an NBA Finals appearance.

In the finals, the Pacers went toe-to-toe with a historic Oklahoma City Thunder team that won 68 games in the regular season. Indiana eventually lost in seven games, as Tyrese Haliburton tore his achilles early in Game 7.

The team's impressive performance in 2025 was fueled by remarkable 3-point shooting, with Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Obi Toppin and others knocking down crucial triples throughout the postseason.

With the Pacers' second selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, the team elected to double down on its strengths, adding another knockdown shooter at No. 54.

Liberty guard Taelon Peter is the newest member of Indiana's organization after a well-traveled college career. Peter played at Tennesse Tech as a freshman before transferring to Arkansas Tech, a Division II program.

Peter spent his final college basketball season with the Flames, where he averaged 13.7 points, four rebounds and an assist while shooting 57.8% from the field and 45.3% from 3-point range on 4.9 attempts per game.

taelon peter is the first player drafted in a long time that i've legitimately never heard of but i am so in on him after a quick highlight scout

72.8% TS on 20.8% usg, 1.7 a:to, 78.5% atr, 45.8% on 12.5 3pa/100, this is an instant pacers legend pic.twitter.com/iocck4vLUK
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) June 27, 2025

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Peter was an unheralded prospect coming into the draft, but seems to have landed in the perfect spot. Peter may not see the floor much in the NBA as a rookie, but if he can develop the other areas of his game while continuing to knock down shots, the 23-year-old should fit well with the Pacers and potentially be another solid rotation piece down the line.

After reaching the NBA Finals, Indiana seems to have a very straightforward teambuilding philosphy: adding quality shooters.

The Pacers' shotmaking ability helped the team give OKC a scare in the championship series, and while Haliburton's injury likely prevents the group from being contenders again next season, Indiana could be a force in the Eastern Conference again when the team's star returns.

By that point, Peter may be prepared to take on a decent role in Indiana if he has played well in the G League and made the most his time on an NBA court.

The Pacers also traded into the second round to select Marquette guard Kam Jones with the No. 38 pick.

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