Pacers guard Isaiah Wong developing his point guard skills in the G League

Wong was the 55th overall pick by the Pacers in the 2023 NBA Draft

Isaiah Wong was the Indiana Pacers final pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 22-year old guard from the University of Miami proved to be a solid scorer in the NCAA ranks, and that skill is where his game can grow out from in the pros.

"He's a very steady, solid guard," Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said of Wong during the offseason. The New Jersey native had a low turnover rate at the collegiate level and signed a two-way contract with the blue and gold in July.

On his two-way deal, Wong is splitting time between the Pacers and the Indiana Mad Ants. Because the NBA club has been mostly healthy all season, the rookie guard has been primarily in the G League so far. He did make his first NBA appearance in the In-Season Tournament title game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With the Mad Ants, Wong has 13 appearances and is averaging 18.3 points per game. His 43.5% field goal percentage is fine given that over one-third of his shots are three-pointers, and he's canned 37.5% of his outside shots. Wong's scoring has translated from the collegiate level so far.

The rest of his game is what the Pacers and Mad Ants are trying to develop. The organization is hoping the youngster can grow into more of a point guard in the pros — at Miami, he started next to point guards Nijel Pack, Charlie Moore, and Chris Lykes, among others. He developed as an initiator and passer in his four years with the Hurricane program, but he still has work to do when it comes to being a floor general.

Isaiah Wong is still growing as a point guard, but clear to see how he evolved from making basic passes to creating shots as a senior. pic.twitter.com/uDuYRl06F4

— Tony East (@TonyREast) August 22, 2023

"I feel like, for me, I was always a combo guard. But playing point guard more is just something I need to learn, I feel like," Wong shared earlier this season. "(Head coach) Tom [Hankins] is helping me be a great point guard."

Early in the season, NBA veteran Elfrid Payton was out for the Mad Ants, so Wong was the floor general often. It was a valuable experience. He got to call plays and tell his teammates where to go, an important pair of skills for a lead ball handler. His communication improved with the reps.

Wong got to run many pick-and-rolls and learned more about making great passes from the paint. Hankins and Payton have been valuable mentors, and they are both aiding the 22-year old when it comes to kick out passes.

The 55th overall pick in the 2023 draft is appreciative of the style that Indiana plays. They keep the ball moving and are potent on offense, which helps him stay focused on his offensive principles. An unselfish team with a G League-leading 125.5 offensive rating, per Basketball Reference, is the perfect place for Wong to get better.

"I feel like this season has been a learning process for me," the young guard said.

He's been fortunate that the Mad Ants and Pacers share facilities. That means when Wong isn't practicing or playing, he can watch the Pacers, and specifically star guard Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton leads the NBA in assists, so Wong keeps tabs on how he gets other players involved. He loves digging in to Haliburton's supernatural ability to find his teammates.

Typically, Wong is a quiet guy. He and Pacers two-way contract wing Kendall Brown share that quality. As a floor general, though, he needs to be louder to be a leader. Hankins, and the rest of the team, and working with Wong on his communication and vocal skills in games.

It's been clear from watching the Mad Ants up close that the message is being received. "Wide!" he'll yell before a certain play call. "Push, push!" he said another time when there was a transition opportunity.

"Most definitely," Wong said of his in-game communication skills improving. "They were all on me on that part." He shared that he's not a big yeller but has to make sure that everyone knows the plays.

Hankins said early in the season that some of the Pacers two-way players were having their ups and downs, but they have since stabilized a bit. Wong's shooting was inconsistent early in the season, for example, but he's been at 40% from the field or better in each of his last seven outings.

The passing has improved, too, which is what the Mad Ants and Pacers hope to see. In his first five games with the Mad Ants, Wong averaged 3.4 assists per game. That is up to 4.1 across his last eight outings. Even with Payton returning from injury and taking on some floor general duties, Wong is improving the ways the Pacers hope he will.

"Isaiah is trying to learn to play the point. That's something that's very new for him," Hankins said. They're trying to help the guard transition from a shoot-first mentality to someone that can run an offense.

So far, there are signs that they have been successful. But there is still more to do. Wong, like every rookie, has work to do on his defense. His turnover number oscillates between acceptable and unsatisfactory. These aren't surprises for a late second-round pick on a two-way deal, but they are the next steps for Wong.

As it stands, though, the Pacers and Mad Ants have seen progress from Isaiah Wong as a point guard. There's more that needs to come, but his career is off a sound start.

---

• James Johnson back with Indiana Pacers to provide wisdom and toughness. CLICK HERE.
• The Pacers can't just hope to outscore teams and win — their defense must get better. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers legend George McGinnis passes away at 73. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers losing streak reaches four after miserable defensive night against Los Angeles Clippers. CLICK HERE.
• Follow AllPacers on Facebook: All Pacers SI
• Follow AllPacers on Twitter: @SIPacers