What NBA Mock Drafts say the Indiana Pacers could with the seventh pick after the NBA Draft Lottery

The Pacers need defense and size in the 2023 NBA Draft

The NBA Draft Lottery is over, and the order of the 58 picks for June's 2023 NBA Draft is set. The Indiana Pacers will have five picks, including three in the first round.

Prior to the lottery, mock drafts suggested that Indiana could make a number of different selections with their top choice. Now that it's confirmed that the team will have the seventh overall pick, the range of prospects Indiana could choose is narrower, according to some experts.

This is an important draft for the blue and gold, who hope to make the playoffs next season. Here is what various mock drafts predict the Pacers will do with their top pick on June 22, one month from today.

ESPN (Jonathan Givony): Pacers select Villanova forward Cam Whitmore

ESPN had Indiana selecting Whitmore in their pre-lottery mock draft, and they kept the pick the same with the drawing complete. Whitmore averaged 12.5 points per game as a Wildcat and has a ton of upside as a scorer and rebounder.

USA Today Sports RookieWire (Cody Taylor): Pacers select Overtime Elite wing Ausar Thompson

Like ESPN, USA Today Sports kept their Pacers pick the same before and after the lottery. Thompson finished second in the Overtime Elite league with 6.1 assists per game and has a twin brother, Amen, who is also projected to be a top pick in the 2023 draft. Ausar confirmed he had a meeting with Indiana at the Draft Combine.

Bleacher Report (Jonathan Wasserman): Pacers select Central Florida forward Taylor Hendricks

B/R also maintained their pre-lottery projection and sent Hendricks to the Pacers. Hendricks averaged over 15 points per game at UCF and is a great fit with Indiana. He is six-foot-nine-inches tall and can shoot the ball well from deep, and he might be the best three-and-D prospect in this draft. Any team, Pacers included, could use that skill set.

The Ringer (Kevin O'Connor): Pacers select Central Florida forward Taylor Hendricks

The Ringer matches Bleacher Report and projects that the Pacers will pick Hendricks. Hendricks was unavailable at the NBA Draft Combine, but his skills are obvious and his stats are eye-popping.

The Athletic (Sam Vecenie): Pacers select Houston forward Jarace Walker

The Athletic's post-lottery mock draft has Indiana selecting Jarace Walker. Walker believes he can do a little bit of everything, but his defense, rebounding, and toughness stand out. He discussed his fit on the Pacers with AllPacers at the NBA Draft Combine.

Other players, such as Gradey Dick and Anthony Black, are commonly projected to go inside the top-10 picks. They both have interesting skills and could provide the Pacers with value, but Indiana's need for defense could put their interests elsewhere. These mock drafts could change with new intel in the month between now and the NBA Draft.

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