Indiana Pacers Media Availability | January 24, 2024

Indiana Pacers Media Availability | January 24, 2024

Previous relationship did you have with tyres Albert if I know you guys talked to the all game last year and what do you think of that longterm going forward um yeah no we we met we met a couple of times we know like mitro people Rico

Rico hin you know um so I think the relationship be there we met at Allstar um we talked a little bit there and there um but yeah no I think everything I heard from him like people that I talked to like great guy and then was on

The phone like um I think his head is in the right place like in terms of the way he plays the game um obviously super Ed you know what I mean like and and young and and I think he he he has a bright future ahead of him and to me I think

The only thing for me I just wanted to come in and and and help I want to I want to make sure I think we can create a lot of problems um together um with his versatility his passing ability um my versatility and my my passing ability

So I think um I mean I might say nowhere near his passing ability but I think you know I can you know I can make plays a little bit too um but no I’m just I’m just super excited and and um we talk and I think obviously want him back out

On the floor so we can get some um some time together playing um but yeah what quite the week to have three games played and a week at home you feel like you’re settled in and you feel like a Pacer not a a newcomer just joining a

Group no it’s tough cuz I mean again I’m today was probably the first practice we had so I’m just like trying to get everything together um I I feel more and more comfortable but I think it’s going to take time and and guys like I come

From a place where I was for like 8 years basically you know so it’s like everything feels kind of new for me um but I think I’m a quick learner I I like to believe that and and I’m a sponge I like to learn um and and and those guys

Like I said I said yesterday like everyone is is on the same page just wanting to bring me up to speed talking to coach coach rig like um all the coaches uh the players everyone is just bringing me up to speed and then I think you know we’re

Going to get there what what’s the biggest adjustment playing now for the Pacers compared to Toronto and just from what you’ve seen whether or how things operate on the court or off the court yeah no I think obviously just a pace to play um there’s a lot of just you know

Like quick offense things and um I mean I think I’m I’m a good transition player but I think again the pace is really fast and and some of the concepts are really different um and and I just got to learn those things but most of them it’s not

Like crazy things right so it’s like just easy things but you got to get used to doing them out of speed and and doing them like constantly I think which I think for me that’s what I’m going to have to learn and and and get to that

Speed in terms of just like the way is R I think I got a speed and my speed matches a team but I think like just in what they’re doing or what we doing as a team it’s like me just feeling comfortable with it what is the

Potential of this team you think once everyone’s healthy and once you up to speed yeah no I think I think I think we’ be a tough team to play against I think I think which I think that’s what the team want the coaches want one of those teams team that plays fast you’re

Going to come in every single day you know like you got to mark down your calendar like I think we’re going to be tough um we have a lot of young Talent obviously tyres U me bringing a different Dynamic to the team um and and when that game gets to slow down you

Know be able to make plays and and and and get to score baskets but and then also bring my my defense into the game too I think we got to continue to get better on defense I got to challenge myself to continue to really focus on it

Rebounding um you know I was telling miles today like I got got you bro we we going to battle for these rebounds and and and you know I want us to get to a point where like like we going out there and fight fighting for those rebounds

You know just cuz we want to get them so bad um so I just want to bring that that that element to the game too basically what’s it been like just adjusting to a new city I know everyone talk about trading like oh you’re new team but like

I mean how many suitcases do you have where are you living that is funny what like yeah I’m living out I’m Hotel um and I don’t even know what to pack to be honest like I never been through this so this will all new for me and I got

Probably three suitcases I mean I got to figure it out until my my stuff can be moved here um but I think a lot of people go through that and and and hey you you just got to got to get up to speed but like I said I have a lot of

Support I think the support that I feel from the organization is just help everything being like so smooth what’s the how important was today just to have a practice and you mentioned before this the first yes yes it was good I I love I love being out there on the floor with

The guys like I think we we get an opportunity to learn even more um do do stuff at at a decent uh Pace as like if was game day it would be a little different you know so today just just getting out there the mor on the Florida

Better for me obviously like just cuz I get to learn a little bit more your brother was atpi how often have you been here before never I’ve never been here unless when I got to the NBA and then we started playing then yeah but other than

That yeah I never been here I mean I always heard from from him about how great it is as a city so um I know I’m I’m looking forward to it to but have you already seen how you know for to guard him now five to guard you how

That’s helped you and how that pairing is going to work yeah definitely spacing is a big thing you know with that you know I I create space for him he create space for me U Mak guys that to make decisions and whatnot um you know puts

People in a tough spots so um things are going to continue to click um I think that once starts click more continuously or consistently and we start getting our guys and obviously it’s going to be a lot better defensively had us that pairing you think will help the whole

Team and specific um defensively were’re longer you know with with going be a lot taller be able to guard these bigger wings and the bigger fours I think that was a boy we need to feel and um you know we were able to do as such and obviously back there protecting the rim

What not just doing things I normally do just to you know I think it’ll help us down the stretch how much you think I how much do you think that’s helped sort of slide everybody else around to match ups that make sense I mean not just not

Just you not just having somebody at the flo but also you know Aaron can threes he’s kind of in a more you know even even you know another guys Andrew seems like everybody gets a match makes a yeah you just really just answer your own question like it’s just I mean it’s just

It’s it’s easier man like you don’t have to have Aaron guarding guys are five six in taller than them you know you can play as hard as you want but you know you go back to Utah game where Drew is guarding you know lari Markin like it’s

Just you know we crazy those matchup um uh discribes that they you know they were trying to uh um get a hold of like back in the before Pascal was here and when Pascal was signed Ty said that he was looking forward to learning from him

Also you know teach him stuff it have you been able to teach him something has he been able to teach you something so far uh thus far man just two vs just playing the game I think honestly we just we have an open line of communication and um I tell them you

Know if you see something you got to say something like you know don’t be uh you know passive like you know I think one thing we proud ourselves on this team is to communicate with each other and just to when things are hard you be able to

Say you know tougher things and U knowing when and when to uh take a foot off the gas and what not so I it’s been good you mentioned clicking based on your experience previous times there’s been a trade at the deadline how is there just a switch where you think oh

Yeah we’re we’re in sync together and there’s a learning process there’s definitely learning process I mean today’s our first real practice time together but at the end day it’s Hoops just basketball I feel like the way we play basketball our offense is easy integrating you just play you know

There’s not a lot of whole bunch of plays you run we go out there we football how important is the personality because it seems like he’s such a easy person to talk to and get along with and once you get to know him off the court it can help on the court

Super easy going though real laidback I mean obviously uh he’s got a um love for the game and what not I mean I think he’s uh going to fit in with us right away what was I guess the perception of him before just knowing him as a an

Opponent versus having him as a team right now um yeah I didn’t really know much about him I just knew I knew about his upbringing and what not just a story and obviously you know just watch a championship run but I don’t really know much about him as a person but no one’s

Had anything bad to say about him and I think that’s his um reputation is pretty much all you got in this league you know outside of your game and um you know it’s it’s carried them well you know just just being there you look at the

Makeup of this team how much do you think it helps to have guys like you Tyrese Pascal now who have we talked about paying your dues like not having like instant success right away but kind of building towards that maybe that message reson with the young guys yeah

Yeah so I think someone like you know you look at someone like Pascal has a resume that he has I mean obviously he’s had to work in U claw everything that he’s had and um he’s a good example for our young guys but I think that what Rick’s trying to do with accountability

Wise is you don’t just walk in here and you know just you know get handed things I think you have to earn everything you got and um you know um uh for our younger guys this year has been a big thing you know you look at Ben shepher

Last night he’s there opportunities look at jarus a couple games ago on the west Co trip he’s able to earn the opportunity so um I think the message is clear but at the same time you know it’s uh U it’s also very transparent with what we’re trying to do speak Advent

Just what’s impressed you about him just obviously the energy and everything but like what how have you seen him kind of develop and grow and what you know how much sparked you feel like he never waivers man he’s always smiling that’s one thing that’s um I think is U to get

Taken for granted you know coming in the office every day something that you know me being here for n years I do every day you know you you forget that you you know you get to do this you don’t have to do it you see someone like Shep is

New for him he’s in here every day smiling working great energy infectious and whatnot and um it’s good to have that Spirit around the team and it’s you see obviously how Transit on the floor so he follows TJ around like all the time how much you think that helps him

What do you think he’s gained from I think T in a great bet for him just because they um they have a similar type of energy that and Spark that they play with and um I think that uh you know TJ’s obviously been someone who’s been

Here been around the sleep you know you know you know for a minute he’s been able to really take some guys up under his wing and he means it genuinely you know he doesn’t know uh just do it just to do it and you know I think you can tell Frank Boogle had

Some really good things to say about you on Sunday before the game you’ll see the Suns again on Friday what role did he play in your early development’s my guy man he’s huge um I think that I owe a lot of my game just to him in a sense

When I first got to the league he’s going to gave my real opportunity he instilled a lot of confidence in me like coming up you know when I would get in my own head like it’d be something simple as just going to dinner and just

You know just rapping and he took me to kill Ro for the first time and sat there and chill for a little bit like um um but he just like confidence is a big thing that I feel like I I needed you know from outside Source you know my

First year and he was able to instill that in me like right away and U I got a lot of love a lot of love for pranking on his family you know his wife and kids and whatnot and um you know it was good seeing him as well good seeing him you

Know be able to you know be a good coaching position as well yish last night and be coming up what do you think about just this this era of big man that you’re playing with and just versatility you all have to step out shoot it back

To the basket thr things like that pass I mean it’s fun bro I mean honestly it’s just it’s not it’s not the dinosaur days they just you know um you know taking two three dribbles in the post back guys down drop stepping like there’s a lot

More I guess uh just advancement of the game at that and you know from a defensive standpoint obviously it makes things you know difficult you have to guard you know a three LEL score at that but the same time like it’s stuff that you know you grow up you watch guards

You watch guys you see guys like KD you know getting in his bag and doing things and inspires you as a big the same thing so um I love that it’s positioned as basketball now you know I love that you go out there and just hoop and you know

You still be down Nearing you know whatever it is that you do how has that challenge you as a Defender like you’ve been that way your entire life but like have you ever had like okay man this game has changed since I played a basketball for example verus where it is

Now yeah I mean there certain matchups you know when you play certain bigs you know there’s certain things you you have to do you don’t have to do you play a big you can’t shoot and you know you can you know sag off a little bit you can

Take a you be a little lazier defensively whereas you play a big that can shoot or is more bur you you’re a lot more active you’re up to touch like you just uh you know um they put you in different difficult spots and um like I said opens to the offense just for

Everybody around you as well miles anytime there’s injuries teams have to adjust learn on the fly a little bit what have you learned about this group since Tai’s been out in the last few weeks um just you know we we’ve been talking about our depth all season long

And um just how important it is to have that you know on a roster you know our bench uh I think we have one of the top scoring benches in the league and they they come up and a pick our slack at times and um you know other times

Proceive what we’re doing so um just uh playing through roster how everybody stay ready how important that is you know I talked about having the young guys I mean they’re the last ones shooting you know every day to sh up over there right now I mean like that’s

Type stuff is important when you’re building within an organization you know it’s just a credit to you know uh you know front office and the guys that are bring it in here announced tomorrow um obviously it would be a big honor for Tyrese to get that in this city what

Would it mean be as his teammate seeing what he did for his franchise and you get that honor see he Tyrese gonor yeah yeah of course man I mean he’s uh I think we all know is GNA get it I mean I think the big thing the issue that was

Cool was that he was leading you know all the votes and whatnot for all the guards and um just the respect that he’s Garner respect that he’s earned uh just in a very short time of being here and um you know how he’s elevated his gam over the past couple years has been

Amazing too so just to uh obviously you know us all here are supporting him you know he’s representing not only just us but the city and uh you know everyone else behind him so you know it’s uh it’s really dope to me a to see him just uh

You know seeming to be just that domineering guard that he’s been able to turn himself into miles you’ve been with this franchise for the PA trade the domas trade the B trade know this one what does that do for a team emotionally and how do you as a leader help the

Whole team get through something like that um well there’s a curve obviously think it’s the biggest thing I feel like it’s not going to be perfect right away um I think my biggest message with that is just um just you have to take patience but you can’t take too much

Patience you know you still have to go out there and try to win games um but you still have to let things grow organically and um you know when you try to force things and try to make things happen usually things don’t really go your way you know it might look good for

A little bit but in a long haul it’s not how it’s supposed to be so um just tell guys just keep playing continue to play your game and just you know make him adjust to our system and whatnot cuz you know just um when you have guys comeing

Different teams you know you have to make them buy into what you’re you know what you’re trying to do and um just a conversation I’ve had conversation tyres had with him I think he really is um he’s bought what we want to do here and just uh really wants to be embraced you

Know by his team and his teammates and the guys around him so ready for step is to stay in ment Le in the game and uh I didn’t play until the fourth quarter last night but I stayed ready and uh just play my game and play on my team play and uh when

Everyone believes me it’s easy to get out there do what she to do so everyone was talking about that one play that you had I mean just what how does that grow your confidence just when you have plays like that over and over yeah well I just

Try to get the crowd into it um hustle and like for like relentlessness is like a big part of my game but uh yeah I just try to get my teammates and the crowd into it it was a fun time last night obviously we didn’t come out with the

With the dub but it’s a good time what’s it like though you’re sitting for three quarters and you know Lloyd Taps you on the shoulder and you’re playing the world champions it’s definitely a lot of stretching timeout to get ready cuz you never know when you’re going to get put

In but um yeah I didn’t expect to play the whole fourth quarter last night but um just fun and I was ready for it so the intensity you showed during that two-minute flurry I know you can’t play that that way the whole time but is that something you could build on thinking

What happened when you really got after it and the impact you could make definitely um I think the team looks at me for energy however that is whether it’s on the bench standing up for my teammates or diving on loose ball like I was last night but uh yeah just bring in

The energy on both sides of the floor like to I know uh Rick talked about just siakam’s path to where he is now spling time in the g- league early on back then was not the G league but learning from that and maybe just gaining te In the Flesh like okay this

Is the guy who walked the path maybe I want to walk yeah um I think they’ve done a good job of developing me and um G League I’ve been able to work on my game alongside jarus another great rookie and uh yeah just having a guy

Like jarus to do it alongside just makes the experience even better and um yeah just working on our game all the time and just being ready when our nam’s called so how helpful has that been for both you guys I asked jarus this question before too the fact that when

You guys get called down you get called down together you know and sort of all this thing you’re working through together you’re not kind of on an island by yourselves trying to figure out when you’re an opportunity how helpful is that it’s definitely been good um we got

We got the right mindset together and um we’re able to get game reps when we’re not necessarily playing with the Pacers but uh yeah it’s been good it’s been a good experience what the I mean it seems like what R you know says about you mostly is that you’re you’re consistent

Basically they they know what to expect from you more or less I mean what’s been what’s been their message to you in terms of what they want to see more I guess I mean is has there been any of that or has it been more like we like

What you’re doing just there’s going to be an opportunity what’s kind of the message been for you know your longterm you know prospects I guess when talk definitely to be more aggressive um sometimes you can see me out there kind of passing up some shots or not taking

It to the rim like I should but uh yeah just being more aggressive and I think I’m going to do that down the line so so specifically offensively is it a case of you know don’t defer as much just because you’re a rookie is that yeah yeah definitely how much is that get

Getting used to especially when You’ got guys on this team that can score like they can what what’s it take to kind of get to yourself to the point is like I have to take this shot I’m not to pass you know as good as those other guys are

On the FL with me yeah it’s pretty it’s pretty easy cuz the chemistry we got here um and the ball movement and uh how many passes and assists we have each game but uh yeah just taking every opportunity as it comes and uh taking advantage of my opportunity so what’s

Been the biggest change in your game since maybe a chance to reflect back on day one to now definitely defense um I think I’m the type of guy who can guard 1 through four and um yeah just showing my versatility every day whether that’s practice or a game wherever I am and uh

Yeah definitely I think my defense is growing a lot is there a moment that keyed that defensive growth or someone you’ve been working with that’s been helpful for you for that mom just going against great players like TJ and uh Tyrese and Buddy Ben ma Andrew just guarding those guys in practice every

Day definitely helps you out so how how helpful has TJ been I mean you you obviously spent a lot of time with him and everything I just what’s it seems like he’s trying to you know guide you and everything and it seems like you’ve been receptive to that what you tried to

Get out of what you feel like you’ve learned from just spending time around him yeah I think it’s been a big part of my development as well um just having a vet to look up to like TJ who uh leads on and off the court and um yeah just

Watching him out there how Relentless and how hardworking he is on the court that definitely rubs off on his teammates and especially me so trying to get out there dive on balls do everything that he tries to do but uh obviously I can’t emulate him but definitely some stuff to take from him

You’re always smiling but during that timeout after that flurry every player and Coach had a smile on their face do you remember the reaction you got then I was fired up I couldn’t tell you what was going on but uh it’s definitely fun I just remember the crowd but that’s

About it so what have your parents and your dad said about the way you been playing recently all the minutes You’ been getting they’re just happy for me uh my parents text me before every game and um just tell me the player that I am

And what I’m capable of and um just been good they’ve been super supportive I preci your impression so far just SE yakum and maybe I know all the Encore stuff but just him as a person so far yeah he’s a great player and a even better person um he came into the locker

Room his first day and got along with everybody um he meses really well with our team chemistry and character and um yeah I’m super excited to get to meet him more and uh just learned more about him so have you gotten the impression I guess that since he’s been brought in there’s

A lot more opportunity in general basally you know the coaching staff is kind of reconsidering everybody and looking how everybody can fit that there’s a chance here definitely um seak we play different with them obviously and um I think as team chemistry starts to build um different opportunities we’ll start to present them

But um that’s been good everyone’s happy that he’s here everyone’s excited to play with him so do you think the message gets driven home more when Rick talked about how everything here has to be earned you look at a guy who literally earned everything to get to

Where he is and obviously be the player he is that get driven like more when you see okay man like SE yakum came from you know first round pick or whatever but G League D League to being an NBA champion to being a guy who this Frise believes

In can change you know their future yeah definitely um development is a big part of the stuff and um just getting those Gam game reps is definitely helpful and um especially a guy like him just seeing his growth throughout his years and what he’s turned into is definitely something

To Aspire to be so kind of value does having a long actual practice with Pascal have to this team and to him specifically uh it wasn’t that long but it was a practice and um there’s things we need to cover for sure so very valuable and we just need to keep

Finding these windows of opportunity this is a very busy stretch of the season and so uh a lot going on so we’re trying to make the most of every minute what uh we’ve talked a lot about just things you’ve done with lineups the combinations you’re trying to figure out

I guess what’s this whole kind of tinkering situation been like for you basically is it kind of an adorable challenge I guess to kind of reconsider what you have uh and you know think through what fit well it’s you know the job the job is to find the best way to

Be successful for the team um you know when you have upheaval with with injuries and guys being out then you have to think through things and you have to think practically and you have to think about the human element um and how things are going to affect the group

Um it’s a great group of guys they’ve handled uh difficult situations very well and so you know um that’s basically it what’s your closest I guess past analog to this in terms of you know bringing in a player of this caliber and you know the way it can change

Dyam gosh I i’ have to think about that it’s I don’t know that we’ve I’ve been involved with a a trade like this where you got an Allstar caliber player um but it it the interesting part of it is that without Tyrese you know you have to figure out

The right things to con concentrate on and focus on in the short term considering the long term sure and a little bit of Vice Versa but um so far he’s been great you know he’s he’s got a great feel he’s personable he loves the game he loves to play and so he’s he’s

What we’re about um non basketball question Rick fusan announces his retirement just I know you’ve known him for years right I know right breaking news what does he meant to you think this whole operation what do you think about Mel taking over well Mel Reigns has earned this

She’s been uh an amazing member of this organization I don’t know how many years but uh since coming back here the third time for me um I’ve had more interaction with her I’m just super impressed with who she is how she operates Etc a guy like Rick fusen is a legend he’s a

Living legend literally in many many ways and so uh you know it’s it’s going to be it’s going to be different without him but I know he’ll still be around somei what’s it been like to see the evolution of just the big man you know D B 7.9 a few

Nights ago yish last night I haven’t watched that game and I’m and I’m uh I’m I’m trying to avoid it trying to avoid it it’s it we’re living in a in a different galaxy you know it’s just um the skill level the skill level of 7 foot guys is is is approaching New

Heights that we’ve never seen before and um you just can’t say enough about how the game has evolved how sticks obious have a back issue um not sure yet not sure yeah he’s going to get get checked out after so you no more

Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Ben Sheppard, and Rick Carlisle speak with the media following practice on Wednesday.

0:00 – Pascal Siakam
4:57 – Myles Turner
13:51 – Ben Sheppard
20:05 – Rick Carlisle