NBA: How the top 5 rookies from the 2022 draft class are faring so far
By Tyler Hurst
5. Benedict Mathurin- Indiana Pacers
Benedict Mathurin looks like an absolute star for an Indiana Pacers team that has been hungry for a new one since trading Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. Mathurin has been a fireball scoring the basketball averaging about 20 points per game on 46.2% overall from the field and 45.5% from three.
Unlike most of the other players on this list, Mathurin has had the luxury of coming off the bench and it has been phenomenal for his development. When you have other high-level guards such as Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, the Pacers don’t need to force the Arizona product into major minutes and a starting spot so he’s been able to let the game come to him.
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The most points averaged off the bench in one’s rookie season belongs to Ben Gordon who averaged 15.3 points per game in his rookie year. Gordon won Sixth Man Of The Year as well. If Mathurin’s stats hold up, he will easily surpass Gordon’s record and might just secure some hardware of his own if his sixth-man role continues.