Indiana Pacers exit interviews: Andrew Nembhard just wanted to come in and get better. He did that and more.
Andrew Nembhard didn't know what to expect in his rookie season after being drafted in the second round.
The Indiana Pacers took the guard with the 31st overall pick, and Nembhard was initially slightly dissapointed to not go in the first round. But it all ended up working out perfectly for the 23-year old guard.
"Indiana was the best place for me. Gave me a great opportunity. I'm blessed that that happened," he said at his exit interview just after the season ended. He ended up playing in 75 games and starting 63 times as a rookie.
That's a significant amount of action for any rookie, but especially one picked in the second round. Nembhard finished the season with over 2,000 minutes, which put him seventh in his draft class. All six players in front of him were lottery picks. He earned those opportunities thanks to skill and positional versatility, which is unique for a first-year player.
That helped him develop quickly. "The best thing to grow your game is playing time," Nembhard said. "Got to get some playing time, got to be in different roles. Got to test my game out in a lot of different ways."
The Gonzaga product was given chances to run the show at point guard, a role that he grew into by the end of the season. He controlled the action for nearly 700 minutes with neither Tyrese Haliburton nor T.J. McConnell on the court, a unique circumstance for an inexperienced guard on a team chasing wins — at least for most of the season. He also played for 1,400 minutes in an off-ball role, where he was more focused on knocking down shots and defending.
Nembhard filled both spots well. That's why head coach Rick Carlisle kept starting him, and why he played so many minutes. There were multiple groups he could fit with while still enhancing the team.
The Canadian guard didn't expect to have that many chances, especially after being drafted in the second round. He just wanted to work hard and get better during his first year, but it became much more than that.
"Personally, coming into my rookie year, I didn't have too many expectations," he said. "I just wanted to come in and get better and try to win a spot on the team and try to help winning. In terms of expectations, I didn't have too many."
A realistic approach can be good for a player, but it's impressive that Nembhard kept a level head while still working hard to earn opportunities. He wants to build on that going forward by becoming a more versatile player, one that can play well off of Tyrese Haliburton while also being an effective point guard in his own right.
It will be easier with a year under his belt. Nembhard now understands the NBA and the day-to-day life that comes with it. He can spend his time in NBA gyms this summer instead of going through the pre-draft process. His first NBA offseason will be beneficial.
"I think I learned about the day-to-day activities, how long the season was. Literally just experiencing what it is to play as a player," Nembhard said of what he learned his rookie season. He believes that will help him in future campaigns.
The young ball handler averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 assists per game this season. He learned when to be more assertive down the stretch of the season, though, and the game slowed down for him. That built up Nembhard's confidence and allowed him to close the season strong. He averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 assists per game after the All-Star break.
Now, he will hope that he can become an even more versatile player. His playmaking and creation abilities were impressive, but if Nembhard's finishing was a tick better, he'd be able to enhance essentially any lineup.
"There's always room to grow in the shot making department. I think that's somewhere I want to take [a step]... improve my ability playing off the ball with just catch and shoot threes," Nembhard said of his upcoming skill growth. "If I can get catch and shoot threes up to 40% I think that makes me a lot more dangerous on the court beside a guy like Tyrese [Haliburton]," Nembhard added. He also wants to get better at getting to his spots.
Andrew Nembhard knows what he wants to improve next season. This time last year, he just wanted to get better, but he shattered those goals. If he becomes a better play finisher and uses his acquired knowledge of the NBA productively, he could shatter his goals again.
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