From the minute he set foot on an NBA court, Bennedict Mathurin has been instant offense for the Indiana Pacers. The sixth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft averaged 16.7 points across 78 games in his rookie season, with his per game average ranking second behind Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero. Mathurin is the first Indiana player since 1989 — and just the fifth in franchise history — to earn a First Team All-Rookie selection, and his 1,302 total points were the third-highest total ever for a Pacers rookie. Mathurin finished second among rookies in free throws made, third in field goals made and eighth in both rebounds and assists. He scored 20 or more points 27 times and notched two 30-point games, including a season-high 32 on October 29. Mathurin was the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of the Month for October/November and ultimately placed fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard’s 100 3-pointers were the most-ever by an Indiana rookie, and he became the fastest Pacers rookie since Chuck Person in 1986-87 to reach 1,000 career points. · Dec 15, 2025