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Was the Pacers' second round pick naughty or nice?

Reviewing Kam Jones as a draft pick for Indiana in 2025
Adel Burton|
Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones (1) assists and reacts to the dunk from Marquette Golden Eagles forward Damarius Owens (10) during the second half of the game against Providence on Tuesday February 25, 2025 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis.
Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones (1) assists and reacts to the dunk from Marquette Golden Eagles forward Damarius Owens (10) during the second half of the game against Providence on Tuesday February 25, 2025 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Indiana Pacers

Happy Holidays to every basketball fan around the world. It’s a magical time of year when we gather with family and friends. We indulge in too much food while consuming endless NBA games. We’re thankful and reflective as the year soon fades into the rearview mirror. NBA Draft analysis is no exception.

Let’s review the 2025 Draft class for your Indiana Pacers. According to Bleacher Report’s grades, the Pacers walked away with a D+. NBA Retweet on X shared: “Every NBA Team’s Rookie Grading So Far This Season, per @BleacherReport…” with Indiana landing near the bottom of the list.

The Pacers selected Kam Jones with Pick 38, a senior out of Marquette. The 6’3”, 202-pound guard has had a tumultuous start to his NBA career. He began the season sidelined with a lower back injury. During that time, he was arrested during a traffic stop. You can read about that here. This alone puts Kam squarely on the naughty list and makes Bleacher Report’s grade feel too kind. The D+ is easily an F- from me.

A Year in Review

I’d grade it an F- for several reasons. The first is simple: you’re a second-round pick. You don’t have the latitude to let your team down before you’ve proven anything in the NBA. As a senior, your appeal is experience and professionalism. If you can’t stay out of trouble during the preseason, can a coach trust you when you’re needed most?

The second reason is tied directly to the basketball court. Kam struggled at the NBA Combine. His foot speed and lack of burst showed up noticeably among his peers. His jumper was also an issue in college, where he shot just 31% from deep. That will have to change dramatically for him to succeed at the NBA level. He was far better during his junior year when Tyler Kolek was running the show.

The final reason is the back injury. Kam has always played an upright game, which is concerning when you’re dealing with back strains. He needs to make flexibility a priority because an NBA season is a grind. If you aren’t prepared to handle that load, you’ll find yourself unavailable again. A second-round pick can’t afford to be unreliable.

The good news for Kam and the Pacers is that there’s still plenty of time to turn it around. He’ll be playing with a group that knows how to move the rock and play up-tempo. That should allow Kam to catch and shoot more often. He shot 38.2% on catch-and-shoot threes during his sophomore year. He’s in excellent shape and could still give Pacers fans something to look forward to as the snow falls and the calendar turns to 2026.

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Adel Burton
ADEL BURTON

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