Celtics forward Oshae Brissett returns to Indiana with fond memories of his time with the Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Pacers forward Oshae Brissett was supposed to come back to Indiana and take on his former team next January. Brissett, now with the Boston Celtics, would get three days in Indianapolis as the Celtics play in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on both January 6 and January 8.
But the NBA's In-Season Tournament tossed that thinking aside. Instead, the Celtics and Pacers met in the first game of the Knockout Rounds for the event, which sent Boston to Indiana on December 4. Brissett was back in the Circle City, which is where his career took off.
The 25-year old forward spent three seasons with the Pacers. He originally joined the franchise in 2021 when he was selected by Indiana's G League affiliate, the then-Fort Wayne Mad Ants, in the G League draft. He played well with Fort Wayne and earned a 10-day deal with Indiana, and he continued to prove his worth.
That led to a three-year pro deal. Brissett grew from a fringe NBA talent who only had two-way deals into a capable, rotation-level forward with the Pacers. His mobility, defense, and size were appealing to the blue and gold.
He loved being with Indiana, but as a free agent in the offseason, he joined the Celtics. "I was more focused on looking long-term and how I wanted to play, where I wanted to be at," Brissett said of his free agency last week. Boston offered him two guaranteed years of money. "Any situation would have been good. Here, Boston, anything. I'm glad that I'm here with the Celtics, but I'll always have love for the guys in Indiana."
There weren't going to be a ton of minutes available to Brissett with the Pacers. In Boston, he has appeared in nine games and played for 90 total minutes. He's a depth piece on a title contender, perhaps the championship favorite.
The Celtics have been fairly healthy in the frontcourt this season, so the Syracuse product hasn't been able to get on the floor much. More opportunities will come, and that will give the Canadian forward a chance to prove himself. But he still enjoys his new situation and the trajectory of his team. "I'm excited, man," he said of being with the Celtics. He believes the whole team is locked in as they chase a title. "It's different, but it's fun."
The 25-year old was fielding questions while sitting at his locker about 45 minutes before the upcoming game. It was his first time ever in the road team locker room. Every other game he played in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, he had been in the Pacers' space.
"It's good man. Weird. I haven't been back here (the opposing team locker room) before," Brissett said of his emotions being in Indianapolis again.
The day before the game, he went out to eat with Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton. They chatted for a while, and Brissett said he and his former teammates all still communicate often. They were a close group.
When Indiana visited Boston in November, the same thing happened. "It's all good seeing them. When they came to Boston, we chilled. Kicked it. Coming here is going to be the same thing. It's always good seeing them," Brissett shared.
When he chose to sign with the Celtics, many Pacers players and staffers reached out to the young forward to offer congratulations. A Brissett return was unlikely given Indiana's roster spot crunch and available opportunities, but the team was still excited for their former teammate. He grew a ton with a franchise and was well-liked.
Part of the reason for that is his consistently positive attitude. Even when the five-year pro wasn't getting minutes, he was cheering on his teammates from the bench and offering encouragement. He neer pouted and gave it his all when he hit the floor. He was a great teammate.
He still keeps up with the Pacers and their top-rated offense. "It's crazy," he said. He added that he believes that Indiana will improve defensively since they have Myles Turner on the team, who Brissett believes is the best shot blocker in the world.
Brissett didn't play during his first return to Indiana, but he did hit the court when the Pacers visited the Celtics earlier this season. It was a blowout win for Boston, and the ex-Pacer played for nearly 20 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing one rebound.
Such is life currently for the depth forward. When he does hit the court for Boston, he's going to play hard and give them quality minutes. When he doesn't, just as Brissett was in Indiana, he's going to be one of the best bench hype men in the league.
The Pacers helped Brissett take off, and he remembers his time with the organization fondly. Now, he's ready for contention with the Celtics. Wherever he plays, he's going to be positive and make the most of it.
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