There will be one official Pacers player competing in the Paris Olympics.
The Indiana Pacers already boast an Olympian in Tyrese Haliburton, one of the 12 players representing Team USA in Paris. Haliburton, who played for Team USA in last year’s FIBA World Cup, will get some playing time and serve as a primary creator for the team.
Another Pacers player, Andrew Nembhard, had a shot at making an Olympic roster. Though Nembhard isn’t the only Indiana player on Team Canada’s roster, he is the only healthy one, as Bennedict Mathurin is recovering from shoulder surgery and unable to play.
Making Team Canada is challenging, but Nembhard succeeded, with the announcement made on Wednesday. Now, he’ll aim to win a medal with one of the most talented rosters in the Olympics.
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard gets named to the Canadian Olympic roster
Now that Nembhard is officially on the team, how much playing time he’ll get remains uncertain. The roster is packed with NBA players, making it challenging to secure minutes on the court. Considering the roster, he is likely to come off the bench in a role similar to Haliburton.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray ahead of him, Nembhard won’t start. Instead, he’ll come off the bench, providing midrange scoring and strong passing. He’ll have the opportunity to lead the second unit, which still features talented players.
Regardless of his playing time, this will be a valuable experience for Nembhard, helping him grow as a basketball player and, in turn, benefiting the Pacers. Nembhard is seen as one of the young players with significant potential for growth.
He’s an excellent player, and on Wednesday night when the Canadian national team scrimmages against Team USA, we’ll see how well he fits in.