Fort Wayne Mad Ants head coach Tom Hankins discusses the growth of Indiana Pacers two-way players Trevelin Queen and Kendall Brown
The Indiana Pacers haven't needed as much from their two-way contract players this season compared to past campaigns. Trevelin Queen and Kendall Brown have appeared in a combined 13 games and have accumulated just 110 minutes of playing time. The Pacers have been healthy and haven't had to rely on their two-way guys.
Instead, Queen and Brown have done more of their developing in the G League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. With that club, Brown and Queen have netted 1,568 minutes of action across 49 outings. They have grown much more at the G League level than with the pro club.
The Pacers drafted Brown with the 48th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and they traded away assets to grab the athletic forward. Queen, meanwhile, joined the franchise during training camp after being released by the Philadelphia 76ers. Indiana scooped him up quickly, and many have raved about his talent. Queen won G League MVP in 2022.
With the Mad Ants, both players have dazzled for moments. Queen is averaging 23.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game so far this year and has been a nightmare for opposing teams to guard. Brown, meanwhile, is deadly in the open floor and looks strong on defense. He has dealt with injuries but is averaging 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in the G League.
Because both players have spent more time with Fort Wayne than Indiana, Mad Ants head coach Tom Hankins has seen the two players develop more than anyone. He has had a front row seat for their growth in the Pacers organization.
"Trevelin was already good when we [got him]. Returning MVP. He played a really different style, really fast-paced style last year and without a lot of defense. He's grown defensively quite a bit," Hankins said of Queen on Sunday. The guard had 27 points, eight rebounds, and five assists earlier that day in a Mad Ants win.
"He's actually grown sharing the ball," Hankins added. The Mad Ants lead the G League in assists per game, and Queen has been a big part of that.
In the NBA, Queen has seven appearances this season. He's averaging 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for the Pacers in 70 minutes of action, and he had 13 points and nine rebounds against the Oklahoma City Thunder back in January. He's been solid when given pro opportunities.
"Just being a better individual, better teammate for the group. Just doing what I can to make the team successful," Queen said of his own growth this season. He, as Hankins alluded to, won G League MVP in 2022.
As for Brown, his rookie season has not gone as planned. A stress reaction turned stress fracture in his right tibia has limited the wing's time on the court at both the pro and G League level. He has still impressed in his opportunities, though.
"Kendall, just feel for the guy," Hankins said of Brown. "Because... his growth, he played seven straight in between getting hurt. And his last seven that he played, his growth was just really evident every game how much better he was getting," the head coach added.
The seven games Hankins is referring to, the final seven before the All-Star break, came from January 28 to February 13. Brown averaged 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in that stretch while playing quality defense. Fort Wayne went 4-3 in that span.
"And then he goes down with another injury. Actually, to be a 19-year old and do what he did, it really kind of gives us a glimpse of what's there," Hankins said of Brown. "He just needs to stay healthy. Both of [Queen and Brown] have grown. Really fun to be around, enjoyable guys to be around. Just going to be fun to watch their future."
In the NBA, the rookie forward has appeared in six games, and he has totalled 40 minutes of playing time. Brown has posted averages of 1.5 points and and 1.0 rebounds per game at the pro level. His best outing came in Golden State when he had three points, five rebounds, and two assists in a win.
"He's definitely grown as an individual. Putting that work in," Queen said of Brown.
The Mad Ants are pushing toward the playoffs, and if they win both of their last two games, they will have a great shot of making it into the postseason field. If they make it and are eliminated early, or they don't reach the playoffs at all, then their G League season will end and both Queen and Brown will go back to the Pacers.
Brown's injury could keep him out, but Queen may get some reps in at the pro level depending on the tenor of the Pacers season at that time. With the growth the two have shown in the G League, any opportunities will be earned.
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