Aaron Nesmith. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics star praises ex-teammate's development with Pacers

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 5/20/24

Aaron Nesmith was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 14th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He spent one and a half seasons with the franchise before being traded to the Indiana Pacers. Nesmith struggled to make an impact in Boston as he was behind All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He needed more minutes and the freedom to learn from his mistakes.

Nesmith has drastically improved as a player since joining the Pacers. He's developed his handle, can score off the pull-up and has learned to play under control. On Sunday, he played a pivotal role as Indiana overcame the New York Knicks to book their place in the Eastern Conference Finals.

When speaking to the media on Monday, Brown praised the development of his former teammate.

“Super proud of Aaron for his growth," Brown said. "Seems like he’s found himself in the league."

Jaylen Brown on facing old friend Aaron Nesmith and the Pacers in the ECF pic.twitter.com/4K7HhwqpGu
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) May 20, 2024

Nesmith played in 72 regular-season games this year. He averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range. He started 47 of those 72 outings. Interestingly, he has developed as a slasher and has shown an ability to score off the dribble. His high level of defense has also been impressive.

After entering the NBA with the reputation of a sharpshooting forward, Nesmith is slowly proving himself to be a three-and-d wing with multi-level scoring potential. He will likely have an important role to play in the Pacers rotation when facing the Celtics. His ability to shoot off the catch will provide much-needed spacing for Tyrese Haliburton to penetrate Boston's stringent perimeter defense.

Nesmith was never going to get the playing time he needed in Boston. Now, he's heading back to where his career began while looking to derail the Celtics season. He's a different player than when he left. And he likely will be looking to show Brad Stevens what his team is missing out on.

Nevertheless, the Pacers are the underdogs in this series and face long odds in pulling off the upset.

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