Kendall Brown embracing role, second-round status with Pacers: 'I like being the underdog'
INDIANAPOLIS — Kendall Brown sat in the green room at the NBA Draft, hearing name after name called that wasn't his. He felt frustrated, hopeless that there was nothing he could do at that point but wait to be called. He reminded himself of his own talent, that draft position ultimately doesn’t matter if you’re good enough.
Close to 750 miles away, the mood was far more jovial at the Pacers’ facility. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard was already happy with the team’s selections of Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard when he turned to other members of the front office.
“Let’s make this a phenomenal draft,” Pritchard said, “and get Kendall.”
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After calling nearly every team picking ahead of them in the second round, the Pacers dealt their 2026 second round pick along with cash to Minnesota for the No. 48 overall pick. Brown’s slide was over. Now the springy 6-8 forward out of Baylor is focused on how he can use his very particular skill set to help the Pacers — mostly. In the midst of a whirlwind of 24 hours in which he was drafted, flew to a new city and met a host of new teammates, coaches and executives in person for the first time, he can still name almost all 47 players taken before him.
“It’s really fine,” he said. “Everyone’s path is different. Everyone’s story is different, but I like being the underdog, having trouble on my shoulders. I’m just ready to get started.”
Brown didn’t work out for the Pacers. His only contact with the team came in the form of a Zoom call with front office members days before the draft. They discussed his style of play and how it might mesh with the rest of the roster. There was a mutual interest. Brown liked the idea of playing with Tyrese Haliburton, a point guard who could amplify Brown’s athleticism and get him the ball in transition. The Pacers had a similar vision and saw a role for Brown on their young roster.
Brown went from being a scorer in high school to a more specific job at Baylor. He made only 14 3-pointers in his lone season in Waco, but started all 34 games, bringing defense, athleticism and the ability to finish in transition.
The defending champion Bears made the Big 12 Championship, and Brown found pride in his ability to affect games without needing the ball in his hands. He plans to take a similar approach in Indianapolis.
“I want to be a great two-way guy,” he said. “Start on defense, I can really get out in transition and run. I can move without the ball. I can cut. I can pass. I have a good IQ, so I’m a very versatile player that can do a little bit of everything.”
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Much of that style of play comes from Brown’s father Courtney, who played professionally overseas before Kendall was born and taught his son the subtleties of basketball: shooting form, how to handle himself coming off the court. The athletic component was genetic. Courtney was a dunk specialist for the Harlem Globetrotters.
“I just got a little bit of athleticism from him, but no, I definitely got more bounce,” Kendall said. “He’s a dinosaur, but it’s all good."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers draft pick Kendall Brown hoping to outplay draft position
