Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard on Indiana Pacers wing Chris Duarte: 'All aspects of his game have matured'
The 2019-20 Oregon Ducks were a great team, and one that was projected by SI to be a four seed in the canceled 2020 NCAA tournament. The Ducks were 24-7 that season behind the play of to-be NBA players Payton Pritchard and Chris Duarte.
Not only were Pritchard and Duarte talented teammates, they were roommates. The two combined to score 33.4 points per game that season, and Pritchard was drafted 26th overall by the Boston Celtics in November of that year.
The two grew close. That's why Pritchard wasn't surprised when Duarte dyed his hair black recently. "Chris was my roomate in college, so I know Chris well. I know he can be sporadic with what he wants," Pritchard joked. "You never know, he might show up with green hair one day, or yellow. I don't know."
That's also why Pritchard hasn't been surprised to see Duarte blossom. The year the two played together with the Ducks, Duarte averaged just under 13 points per game. The following season, he climbed over 17 points per game and became a far more efficient player. That led to him winning the Jerry West award for being the best shooting guard in college, and Duarte became an NBA prospect.
He was selected 13th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 2021 NBA Draft after improving in his final season at Oregon.
"I just thought he loved it. Especially after I left, I heard that he really started to work on his game and take it really [seriously]," Pritchard said of Duarte's improvements. "He took it [seriously] when I was there, but I heard he took it to another level."
Duarte led the Ducks to a Sweet 16 appearance in his final season, and he was named to the All-Pac 12 first team. The Pacers were excited about his ability to contribute quickly, and he was a day one starter for the blue and gold.
The 25-year old averaged 13.1 points per game as a rookie and was named to the NBA's All-Rookie second team. His accuracy has taken a step back this season, but he has grown in other areas — such as lowering his turnover number and upping his free throw rate — during his second NBA season. He is averaging nearly 10 points per game since January 14 on 41/34/85 shooting splits.
"I think just all aspects of his game have matured," Pritchard said of Duarte. "Obviously, he's a really good scorer. But I think he's gotten stronger. He's just developing more and more as a player overall."
Duarte and Pritchard have only gone head-to-head twice at the NBA level, and the Pacers have won both of those games. Pritchard discussed his college teammate last week — as well as current teammate and former Pacer Malcolm Brogdon — ahead of a battle between Boston and Indiana in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but the Celtics guard did not end up playing in the game. Duarte finished with seven points and three rebounds that night.
Duarte is averaging 7.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game this season. He, and the rest of the Pacers, are hoping for a solid close to the season in March and April, which begins tonight in San Antonio.
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