Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd on Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard (with video)
Both Pacers draft picks played one season with Lloyd, Nembhard at Gonzaga and then Mathurin when he took over at Arizona this past season.
Tommy Lloyd sat inside his office Friday morning proud to see two of his former players move on to the NBA. He previously coached the first two players the Pacers drafted the night before, Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard.
It’s a unique circumstance because Lloyd just completed his first season as the head coach at the University of Arizona after 20 years on the staff at Gonzaga under Mark Few. Lloyd, 47, was the one responsible for recruiting former Pacer All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to Gonzaga.
Lloyd helped recruit Nembhard to Gonzaga, then left for Arizona and spent one season coaching two top-18 draft picks in Mathurin and Dalen Terry, who said he has “irrational confidence” and was selected by the Bulls.
The Pacers were in contact with Lloyd and his assistants throughout the draft process, connecting with them right up until the draft.
Then on the following day, Lloyd got on a Zoom call to talk with a few local reporters about the Pacers’ newest picks.