Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin showed out in the Rising Stars Challenge, winning MVP honors in the process.
Friday night of the NBA All-Star Weekend is a chance for some of the league’s brightest young stars to show what they’re capable of and to show that the league is in good hands. That is certainly what Indiana Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin did when he led Team Jalen Rose to the Rising Stars Challenge championship, earning MVP honors in the process.
Mathurin, in particular, was instrumental in their matchup against Team Tamika Catchings in the first round of the Rising Stars Challenge. The Pacers up-and-coming wing scored 18 of his team’s 40 points, including a tough game-winning fadeaway over the outstretched arms of Scoot Henderson to send his team to the final.
Seeing Bennedict Mathurin take control of the game is no mean feat, as the Pacers wing had a stacked team alongside him. Included among his teammates were Oklahoma City Thunder budding stars Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, which makes Mathurin’s MVP win all the more impressive.
The Pacers wing put his entire arsenal in display. In addition to the fadeaway he showcased on the above tweet, he also showed out his improved long-range marksmanship as well as his burgeoning playmaking game, dropping a gorgeous dime to Walker Kessler in the final of the Rising Stars Challenge.
At this point, it’ll be interesting to see if this impressive performance in the Rising Stars game proves to be a catalyst for bigger and better things for Bennedict Mathurin. The Pacers recently traded away Buddy Hield, but Mathurin has found himself lost in the shuffle, with his team deciding to start Andrew Nembhard at the two instead.
As of late, Mathurin is struggling big time, unable to find a rhythm offensively, which limits his impact on the court. Therefore, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is also struggling to find minutes for him. Mathurin has averaged just around 22 minutes per contest over his last four games, but he’ll be forcing his way into a bigger role if he is able to carry over his level of play in the Rising Stars Challenge to the regular season. Only 21 years old, the sky is the limit for the Pacers wing.
Source link