Isaiah Wong, Kyle Mangas added to G League Up Next game; Elfrid Payton, Jordan Bell named to USAB's AmeriCup Qualifying roster
Three more players will be involved at All-Star Weekend, and two more were chosen to play with USA Basketball in Cuba.
The Indiana Pacers continue to add representatives at All-Star Weekend coming up this weekend.
Two-way guard Isaiah Wong and Kyle Mangas have both been added to the roster for the NBA G League Up Next Game, held on Sunday before the All-Star game. It will be played at NBA Crossover inside the Indiana Convention Center at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Those two join two-way rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, who was previously selected for the game (as well as Rising Stars on Friday night).
“It’s an honor just being included,” Wong said. “I appreciate them for the invite. It’s just a blessing that I invited me and I’m one of them players in the G League that’s in these events.”
The Pacers drafted Wong with the 55th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, then signed him to a two-way contract. The team is based in Indy and lives next to the team facility.
“I’m real comfortable, that’s what I can say,” he said with a big smile. “I can stay here, get shots up and do whatever. And probably walk there too. I don’t really know what the experience is over there, but it’ll be a different setting and I can’t wait to take it all in.”
Wong had All-Star break plans to head south to Miami, where he played college basketball. On the positive side, participating in the Up Next event comes with a free ticket to Sunday’s All-Star game for Wong to enjoy.
“It’s a great experience to be a part of it and I appreciate it,” Wong continued. “I’m going to have fun. I get to see all these great players all in one spot.”
Mangas, meanwhile, chose to play in the G League for the first time rather than go overseas like he had for the past two years. He’s from Warsaw, Ind. and starred at Indiana Wesleyan.
This season, he wanted to do something different and stay home, so that’s how he ended up home with the Mad Ants. (Mangas participated in two pre-draft workouts with the Pacers in 2021.)