2022 NBA Draft: Indiana Pacers select Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona small forward

Arizona small forward Bennedict Mathurin is off the board in the 2022 NBA Draft. With the No. 6 pick of the first round, Mathurin was selected by the Indiana Pacers.

A Canadian-native, Bennedict Mathurin came to Arizona in the Class of 2022. He played two seasons at Arizona before declaring for the NBA Draft. Arizona won the PAC-12, regular season and tournament, in the 2021-22 season. In the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. There, they lost to the Houston Cougars.

Bennedict Mathurin’s best offensive performance in 2021-22 came against TCU in the NCAA Tournament, when he had 30 points, matching an earlier performance against Illinois. He did also have a 31-point performance as a freshman against Oregon State. The 2022 PAC-12 Player of the Year, Mathurin was also a Consensus second-team All-American.

For his career, Mathurin averaged 14.8 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 2.0 assists per game. He has a 45.6% career shooting percentage while shooting 38.3% from three-point distance.

Given his accolades, it’s no surprise that Bennedict Mathurin is one of the top-ranked prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft. Most mock drafts predicted that he would be a lottery pick. That includes CBS Sports predicting he would go ninth, while ESPN mocked him as high as sixth.

“Bennedict Mathurin, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard out of Arizona, is one of the best 3-point shooters in this draft class, particularly among players projected to be selected in the lottery,” writes Josh Cohen for NBA.com.

“Great 3-point shooters typically play below the rim. But that’s not the case with Mathurin, a high-flyer who loves to get out into the open floor and finish with authority on fast breaks. He threw down several jaw-dropping jams this past season, including one during the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament victory over TCU in the second round when he flashed into the paint and posterized the 6-foot-11 Eddie Lampkin.”

Bennedict Mathurin has plenty of room for improvement. In particular, he needs to improve his playmaking ability and mid-range shooting.

With his selection, Bennedict Mathurin will look to continue developing for his NBA career.