Pacers guard ranks Bennedict Mathurin as the best rookie this season: “Ben doesn’t talk…He just shows up & plays basketball”

The Indiana Pacers struck gold in the 2022 NBA draft when they took Bennedict Mathurin with the sixth pick. Mathurin, a former Arizona star, has been one of the top rookies early this season.

The 20-year-old Mathurin is averaging an impressive 20.4 points per game while shooting 46.0%, including 43.7% from beyond the arc. What's even more impressive is how he gets to the free-throw line. Bennedict Mathurin has been the complete package for Indiana and everything the team needs.

He's been the perfect player for the Indiana Pacers as young star Tyrese Haliburton needed help, and he's clearly got it. If the two can continue playing the way that they have throughout the first few weeks of the season, Indiana is going to find itself in a very good position to be a legit team in the coming years.

With the possibility that Indiana could also get the first pick in next year's NBA draft and take Victor Wembanyama, this team could become one that nobody's going to want to play.

Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls

Bennedict Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton duo

Bennedict Mathurin spoke about what it means to play with Tyrese Haliburton and how he learns from him. Tyrese Haliburton spoke about how it is to play with the rookie.

Mathurin had the following to say:

"Sometimes, when I think you don’t see me, you see me all the time. Couple times I was running, and then a pass just came in front of me. I didn’t think he was going to pass it. But then he has a great vision but also his IQ is unmatched. He has a great feeling for the game, and he is really unselfish. He wants to win, and he wants to help his team win."

Haliburton added:

"Well, I would say our relationship is getting better. I don’t remember what game it was, but maybe Detroit or San Antonio, where I went up to him after the game. He had a good game, went up to him, was like, “Yo, if you feel like you haven’t touched the ball in a little bit, just come tell me. You can talk to me however you want. I have enough respect for you that you can say whatever you want to me, and I understand that it’s in the heat of battle, it’s in basketball. Say whatever you want.”

"So, I think naturally it’s hard when you come to the NBA to walk up to somebody and be like, “Yo, give me the ball,” you know what I mean? Especially as a rookie. But I’m cool with it. We both just want to win."

It's going to be an exciting duo in Indiana and something that could possibly turn this Pacers team into a championship-caliber squad in the coming years. It's not going to be easy for them to get where they want to be in the upcoming years with all the talent in the NBA. But Indiana now has the guys that they need to build a competitive team and look toward the future.