Pacers use three second-round picks to add high motor, coachable players led by Kansas' Johnny Furphy
The Pacers drafted F Johnny Furphy, G Tristen Newton and F Enrique Freeman with their Day 2 picks. They did not have a first-round pick after being in the lottery the last three years.
After not having a first-round pick on Wednesday, the Indiana Pacers were slated to make three selections on Day 2: 36, 49 and 50.
This was the first time in league history they made it a two-day event.
Just one player the Pacers brought in for a pre-draft visit was taken in the first round, with Dillon Jones from Weber State headed to Oklahoma City. That means 35 players who they’re even more familiar with were still on the draft board as 4:15 p.m. ET arrived on Thursday for day two.
After night one was held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, day two was downsized and then shifted to ESPN’s Seaport studios. The earlier-than-usual time slot was due to the presidential debate scheduled for Thursday evening.
There were four minutes between picks and the Pacers had to wait for five teams to make a selection before they were on the clock.
However, they elected to move up one spot, swapping places with the San Antonio Spurs for cash considerations, to select 6-foot-8 forward Johnny Furphy out of the University of Kansas — the alma mater of team president Kevin Pritchard.
Furphy being selected at No. 35 was officially announced by NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum at 4:43 p.m. ET.
The Pacers then chose to keep their remaining picks and used them to add Tristen Newton at 49 and Enrique Freeman at 50. That’s one guard and two forwards.
So in a draft that’ll be remembered by its international flavor — with France, in particular — the Pacers selected an Australian with one year of college experience and two others with five years.