Indiana Pacers exit interviews: Kendall Brown was forced to be more of a sponge due to injury. Now he wants to improve.
The Indiana Pacers loved Kendall Brown ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft. So much so that they traded into the second round to get him, and they gave him a two-way contract to develop as a rookie.
Brown is raw, but he's unbelievably athletic. His speed and leaping ability popped last summer, both in summer league and during training camp, and his defense proved to be solid before he even played in the NBA.
On his two-way deal, the rookie split time between the Pacers and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Most of his time was with the G League club, where he played in 16 games and averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest. His defense was more impressive than his offense with Fort Wayne, who is moving to Noblesville soon.
In the midst of his healthy stretch to open the season, Brown was needed with the Pacers for some NBA battles. In late November through early December, the 20-year old played in six games for Indiana during a nine-game stretch, and he was in the rotation for a few of those appearances. He got a chance to show off what he could do at the pro level, averaging 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds per game.
"Just how important little things are. Staying consistent, having good habits," Brown said of what he learned about the NBA during his rookie season at his exit interview last month. He, like many first year players, found out how to be a pro.
He also found out how to take care of his body, which will be important going forward. Because not long after that stretch with Indiana, Brown was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right tibia that held him out for six weeks. And one month after returning, he had surgery to address a stress fracture in the same leg that ended his season. Rehab has dominated his life for the past three months.
Brown's exit interview with the media came six weeks to the day after his surgery. He said he had been doing a lot of form shooting and ball handling work, but he wasn't able to get on the court yet. He was also lifting, he said.
"I feel good... Just been doing rehab and I feel great," Brown shared.
The young forward hopes to be ready for summer league, which is in early July. That would give him more than four months to recover before playing in games again. Whether he is playing for the Pacers or not come July is to be determined, he will be a free agent this summer. Kevin Pritchard, Indiana's President of Basketball Operations, didn't close the door on bringing Brown back.
If Brown does get another shot in the NBA, the experience he gained from his rookie year will make him better. Of course playing with the pros helps. But even just being around a team of talented players and observing them is beneficial, and Brown got to do that a lot while rehabbing. He spent more time with Indiana than most two-way contract players typically get to with their NBA squad.
"Just taking everything in. I was at pretty much every single game," Brown said of his learning experiences as a rookie. "Just watching and watching the vets and everyone on the team taking everything in."
That's the right mentality for a young, unproven player. Especially one like Brown, who is hoping to add skill to his eye-catching athleticism and agility. If the youngster is back with the Indiana Pacers next season, he should be an improved player after soaking it all in for a year.
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- Indiana Pacers G League affiliate team moving from Fort Wayne to Noblesville. CLICK HERE.
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