A scorer with an edge: Guard Trevelin Queen discusses joining the Pacers on a two-way deal

“I never really thought I could make it to the NBA. I just knew that I’m destined for the highest level of basketball possible for myself.

The newest Pacer is Trevelin Queen, No. 8.

On Oct. 11, he first joined the Pacers on a two-way deal, which means he’ll also spend time in the G League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Rookie Kendall Brown is the other player signed to a two-way contract.

Queen, 25, had options after the Philadelphia 76ers waived him. And they did so a few days before they had to so that he would be available for when more teams had spots available before opening night rosters were set.

“I just feel like they really want me here compared to a lot of other situations I was in,” he said recently after practice. “It was a warm welcoming.

“I looked at it as a young group of guys, a lot of opportunity and a lot of potential. It’s like a rebuilding process, coach said. So just coming here and taking advantage of the opportunity given. Whether I play or not, I just feel like it’s a great environment, a great culture, a great development staff. They’ve shown me nothing but love.”

Queen played five minutes in the 76ers’ first exhibition game, but he suffered a concussion and did not play the remainder of the preseason.

He’s coming off a special season in the G League where he was regular-season and finals MVP, along with a G League champion playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He averaged 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.2 steals in 19 games with the Vipers.

I asked him how important it was to his career for him to have a productive season like he did last season. “I’m not really a self accolades kind of guy,” he said.