Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton on the 2023 NBA Draft class: 'Lot of versatility'
CHICAGO — The Indiana Pacers will pick seventh in the 2023 NBA Draft. They didn't move up or down in the lottery on Tuesday night, and they now know where all five of their picks in the 2023 draft are slotted.
It was a tense lottery, with picks six through 14 going as expected. That made it more suspenseful as each slot was revealed in a ballroom at McCormick Place. Even the usually bubbly Tyrese Haliburotn, Indiana's star point guard, was shockingly stoic on stage.
The top of this draft class warrants unusual emotion. Victor Wembanyama alone makes the 2023 group of prospects unlike most, and the tier just below him also features some talented players.
Many of the prospects who are currently considered to be near or inside the top 10 of the upcoming draft are forwards and wings, which is great for the Pacers. They need depth at those positions badly, especially younger depth. This draft is a great chance to add an important piece if the franchise actually makes a pick at seven.
Haliburton, an All-Star this past season, likes what he sees from this draft class. "I'm excited, I'm excited. There's a lot of guys, lotta versatility," he said of the potential 2023 draftees. He called Wembanyama special, but recognized the talent of the whole group.
"Excited to see guys come in for workouts, excited to be a part of the process like I was last year," Haliburton added. Indiana wants Haliburton to be a partner with the franchise, and letting him share his voice in the pre-draft process is a part of that.
"There's not many major decisions that I'll be looking at that he won't be a part of," Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said last month. This upcoming draft, a group that Haliburton likes, will be a part of it.
Of the players in the top 10 of ESPN's latest mock draft, Ausar Thompson and Anthony Black said at the NBA Draft Combine that they have upcoming meetings with the Pacers. Going forward, several top prospects will sit down with the blue and gold, and even more will workout for the team during the pre-draft process.
Those workouts are where Haliburton could watch and be involved. He knows what the Pacers need and has been watching the playoffs to determine where the team needs to grow. Perhaps Indiana can grab one of those players with the seventh overall pick in the June 22 draft.
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