On a recent episode of the Pacers locked podcastIndiana Pacers and Mad Ants forward Kyle Mangas analyzed the abilities of two teammates: Jarace Walker and Quenton Jackson.
Mangas, 25, signed with the Pacers via an Exhibit 10 contract last offseason and spent one day with the team in training camp. He was released and ultimately spent the 2023-24 campaign with Indiana’s G League affiliate, the Mad Ants.
There, he often played with Walker and Jackson. Walker, the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, was frequently assigned to the G League club because there wasn’t much playing time available on a Pacers team with plenty of depth.
The Houston product ended up playing 19 games with the Mad Ants. He averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in the G League and had a chance to improve his game. It was a good opportunity for him to develop.
Walker ended up playing over 300 more minutes in the G League than he did in the NBA in his rookie season. Mangas, who played with the Mad Ants all season, got to play with the young forward often. “He can do so many things on the court. I think he showed that in the G League,” Mangas said of Walker. “He’s got incredible size and athleticism, but he showed that he can handle the ball a lot, make decisions. I think he’s an underrated passer. I think that’s going to start to show up more.”
Mangas added that Walker was a fun player to be around on the team. That’s not always the case for players who are assigned to the G League. But Walker has fit in well with the team and has been a great citizen while playing with the Mad Ants. Pacers center Myles Turner analyzed Walker’s game recently too.
Jackson, meanwhile, joined the Pacers in early March on a two-way deal, and he re-signed earlier in the offseason on a similar deal. The 25-year-old has only been with Indiana for about five months.
He averaged 22.3 points and 5.4 assists per game for the Mad Ants in nine games last season. He immediately fit in with his new team as a basket-striker and shot-maker, and he continued to show those qualities in summer league.
“I loved playing with [Quenton Jackson]”He brings a lot of energy to the team. We had played him a few times during the year with Windy City and then he came and joined us and fit in perfectly,” Mangas said.[He] “He’s helped us win a lot of games. He’s very athletic, he’s very dynamic, he’s explosive. He’s also a great teammate. He tries to get other guys involved, he plays the right way. He gives guys open shots. If he plays with us this year, I’m looking forward to it.”
Jackson played three games for the Pacers. Mangas, meanwhile, said he will sign Another piece 10 deals with blue and gold.
