Pacers to sign high-profile undrafted free agent

The Pacers will ink undrafted Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe to a two-way deal, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 6-foot-9 power forward/center was a consensus All-American second-teamer with the Wildcats in 2023, but a consensus All-American first-teamer in 2022, probably his best college season.

That junior year in 2021-22, his first with Kentucky after spending his first two college seasons with West Virginia, Tshiebwe won the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Center of the Year Award and the Pete Newell Big Man Award. He was also named the SEC Player of the Year, an SEC All-Defensive Teamer, and the National College Player of the Year by a variety of organizations.

He was twice the NCAA’s rebounds leader, averaging 15.1 RPG in 2022 and 13.7 RPG in 2023, and a two-time All-SEC selection during his final two college seasons.

The 23-year-old averaged 16.5 PPG, the aforementioned 13.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 1.0 BPG across 32 contests in 2022-23.

Indiana also added several new young players during this week’s draft. The club acquired Houston forward Jarace Walker in the lottery and Belmont forward Ben Sheppard later in the first round. The Pacers then added G League Ignite guard Mojave King and Miami guard Isaiah Wong in the second round.