Indiana Pacers rookie Jarace Walker mastering the art of player-based media interactions
Indiana Pacers rookie Jarace Walker is already making an impression on his teammates, both on and off the court.
On the hardwood, his strong start to the preseason impressed his teammates. They find him easy to play with, and his skillset is exactly what the team needs.
Off the floor, his personality is a clear fit with the team and organization. "Just a jokester. And like I said, just a great person," Pacers veteran point guard T.J. McConnell said of Walker at media day early in the month.
McConnell was asked about Walker because of a scene that is becoming a trend with the Pacers. While McConnell was speaking with gathered media members, the rookie forward joined the scrum to ask his new teammate a question.
"T.J., do you have a favorite rookie, or a rookie you look up to? Or a rookie who is your favorite, or maybe the best rookie you've seen your whole entire basketball career"? Walker asked, fishing for a compliment.
"That's a tough one. None from this year really stick out. I would have to think about it though. This year is kind of a dud, if you ask me," McConnell joked. Walker scurried away.
Those moments can be revealing looks into a player's personality and their comfort level with their teammates. It should come as no surprise that something similar happened to Walker just over a week later.
This time, Walker was fielding questions when second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin came over and joined the conference. He had a question for his teammate.
"Bennedict from Bennedict Sports," Mathurin opened. His outlet is a startup, it seems. "Jarace, tell me how you feel about your first NBA game"? he asked.
"I had a lot of fun," Walker replied, in part. He gave an impressively serious answer given the superficial feel of the question.
It hasn't taken long for Walker to become an off-court fit with his new teammates. The nature of his interactions with other Pacers players says a lot — as does his performance at FanJam on Saturday.
Walker next hits the hardwood on Monday when Indiana hosts Atlanta in preseason action.
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