ESPNNBA Staff recently released their award predictions for the 2024-25 NBA season, and two Indiana Pacers players are among the expected finalists.
Last season, through various awards, Many Pacers players were considered for an trophyAaron Nesmith, Tyrese Haliburton, T.J. McConnell, Myles Turner and head coach Rick Carlisle were nominated for league awards. Aside from Haliburton’s nomination to the All-NBA Third Team, none of the Pacers who received votes ended up winning.
This year, it might be harder for Indiana players to receive votes. Those who were considered the most improved players last season will have a hard time doing so a second time in a row, and higher expectations make recognition more difficult. The Pacers will have to continue to play well to earn individual honors.
ESPNThe predictions spanned the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year and Most Improved Player awards. The Pacers, via Haliburton and McConnell, were involved in the predictions for two awards.
Haliburton finished in seventh place in the Most Improved Player category. He received 11 points, meaning he received multiple votes from the ESPN experts.
McConnell, meanwhile, came in fifth in the Sixth Man of the Year prediction. He also received a lot of votes — and as Haliburton’s replacement, he would be a worthy winner.
The last player to don the blue and gold and win an individual award was Victor Oladipo, who won the Most Improved Player award in 2017-18. A few Pacers players have won team awards in the interim. ESPNPredictions can be found here.
