Dedicated Jarace Walker shows the peaks and valleys of rookie play during first preseason outings

Walker had a solid start to his first preseason

After the Indiana Pacers practiced on Thursday, Jarace Walker wouldn't leave the gym.

He kept getting threes up inside the Ascension St Vincent Center. Five from each corner, five from the wings, and five from the top of the key — 25 attempts in total. Walker was determined to nail at least 20, a feat that grants Pacers players the opportunity to "ring the bell".

Walker canned the last four from the left corner to get to 20. His sense of relief was obvious. He rang the bell, but not as excitedly as other players do. Instead, a muted ding rang through the practice courts.

"I have to. Me, I know I won't be able to leave the gym until I do," Walker said of ringing the bell. He said he's done it every single practice. "Just took a little longer today."

It was just one moment, but it was a tailored display of what Walker is all about. He wants to refine his skills at every turn. His high school program director was impressed with his work ethic and strategy. He played during summer league with an elbow injury that required surgery, but he wanted to push through it. So far, he has shown Indiana that he will put in the hours.

That mentality allowed him to shoot out of a cannon to begin preseason action. In his first exhibition outing, Walker was one of the best players on the floor against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The rookie forward finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. On both ends of the floor, he made important plays. He had to overcome a slow start to do it — Walker started 0/5 from the field but finished 7/15. He went 4/9 from three-point range.

"You start out missing a few shots, you've just got to stick with it. That's what Jarace did," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "His potential impact in this league is going to be much more far reaching than just scoring baskets."

In that game, Walker did many of the things that there are questions about surrounding his game. He made threes, a swing skill after his lone season at Houston. His passes were crisp and created advantages. In general, his offensive game was additive.

He impressed his teammates, too. "Jarace played great. It's so fun playing with him," rookie guard Ben Sheppard said. "His versatility on both ends of the floor, he makes it fun on defense and offense."

That's why the Pacers drafted Walker. They believe he can be a playmaker on defense and a force on offense. If his shot falls, he's a great fit with what the blue and gold already have.

Carlisle thinks simplicity is going to be key. Walker just needs to play defense, block out, and rebound. The rest of the game will come easily.

The rookie forward's follow-up performance in Houston wasn't as strong. That night, his shot was less accurate and his passes weren't as impactful. He had some foul issues. His overall effectiveness was there, but there were errors along the way.

It was still an important outing for the first-year player. "I feel like I'm learning a lot through the process, and I feel like that's the main goal," Walker said Thursday. He echoed Carlisle's comments about keeping the game simple.

He finished the game against the Rockets with seven points, four rebounds, and two assists. He got more time with Indiana's expected rotation players that night and didn't subtract from the units.

In total, Walker's first two preseason games were about growth. He did that. He got better, took on a bigger role, showed off his skillset, and proved he can be impactful. That's everything the Pacers could have wanted to see.

If his work ethic at practice on Thursday is any indication, he will continue to get better. "He's got a chance to be very, very special," Carlisle said. Walker will get his next chance to show his special base on Monday when Indiana hosts Atlanta in preseason action.

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