Kendall Brown, a rookie wing for the Indiana Pacers, played against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in his NBA debut.
Brown has a two-way deal with the Pacers after being 48th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. He participated in the team’s preseason games and has worn the Fort Wayne Mad Ants uniform on numerous occasions, Indiana’s G League affiliate team. However, my debut in an NBA game during the regular season was Wednesday.
He managed the typical butterflies that come with realizing one’s dream of playing in the NBA. Brown responded, “A little bit. Everyone gets a little nervous the first time. It was nice to be on the field with the squad.
The youngster has participated in four G League games this season, scoring 13.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. His athleticism and defense have distinguished themselves from the Mad Ants.
Ironically, he debuted for the Pacers with those qualities. Brown entered the game with 1:39 left, and at that time, he grabbed a steal afterward and dunked the ball on a fast break. He claimed he didn’t have to force a poor shot despite not wanting to. It was as simple as they come for his transition slam.
After the game, Brown, a former Baylor Bear, remarked, “First bucket in college was a dunk; the first bucket in the NBA was a dunk too. It’s just fitting.”
During his four preseason games, the youngster scored 3.5 points and handed out 1.0 assists per contest for the blue and gold. He experienced NBA regular season play for the first time on Wednesday, and he made the most of it. In the future, Brown might play in more games if the Pacers’ injury woes persist.
Since he was selected, several people within the organization have praised Brown’s speed and agility. It becomes sensitive to think that the Pacers will strive to provide him with more growth opportunities during the season after Indiana traded into the 2022 draft to get another selection before choosing the wing. He has frequently played in the G League and done well.
Regarding his NBA debut, Brown noted, “It felt nice to get on the court and then the bucket too.” The rookie might see more playing opportunities as the season goes on.