Bennedict Mathurin Rising Stars Practice Media Availability | Indiana Pacers

Bennedict Mathurin Rising Stars Practice Media Availability | Indiana Pacers

And what do you anticipate this week being like for you and all of your teammates as both participants but also ambassadors for the city um that’s a great question I feel like um it’s going to it’s going to be a great weekend you know just having obviously you know the

Allar Indiana um having you know tyres as an All-Star starter you know it is a big thing for us um having me and O you know in uh uh uh the game tonight so I’m pretty much excited for the whole weekend how are you feeling right now

Cuz that’s been a big topic like the illness the knee from several games ago sure uh I feel pretty good feel pretty good um you know just ready to play tonight um ready to get going you know for the rest of the season how does this

Compare this year at in home and Indie for you versus last year in Utah well I would say you know Indiana is a great City especially compared to Utah man but uh I mean you know I know I I know I know my my way around you know

Town um my apartment is down the street I get to see my dog uh you know so I mean it is it is a fun time to be around you know the city but what have you seen and what do you expect to see over this weekend with the allstar coming out I

Mean big events have been here before sure this is this a pretty big thing um well my you know my my lesson from last night is to not drive my car around cuz I was stuck in traffic for like 45 minutes all I was trying to do is get

Chick-fil-A that was H Bon’s fault he was he was blocking all the way but uh no I’m super I’m super excited I’m super excited what what is the what is the plan have you planned anything specific or is it just enjoying and and and checking it

Out uh not not really just pretty much just enjoying the time time my family and friends around um you know and pretty much just being here so Oscar says he’s going to dunk on you me yes yeah I don’t know what’s going through this guy’s

Head he fell a couple games ago I’m just playing I told him I’m dunk on him though what’s that I told him I’m a dunk on him if I see him I’m you know I have to try I have to try what’s it like having a team like

Like Oscar who’s just so optimistic and great to be around that’s great like you said you know he’s really he has a he has a lot of energy a lot of good energy um you know he smiles a lot you know sometimes it’s not it’s not fun for me

Cuz he’s always smiling you know we’re losing and he’s smiling you know so um but it’s great to have him around you know pretty much him being the RIS St his game you know he’s worked really hard Ben in what ways do you feel like you’re a better player here in your

Second year than you were in your first year I mean the the the scoring is down a little bit but what ways have you gotten better I would say pretty much just adjusting to the game you know last year you know some things used to come off you know

Pretty pretty easily um you know I used to get to the fre line like seven times a game you know so pretty much adjusting to that um but I feel like you know my me leading the team has been you know has been a big impact on my game as

Well how much are you looking forward to competing with Ty and Miles tomorrow in the skills competition oh I told the guys we got to go full speed you know I’m trying to win that thing especially in Indie have you talked any smack with

Any of the other teams no not yet I I ain’t really get a chance do you practice for something like that I don’t even know how you can you just go on clothes and stuff yeah make up a passing drill or something Have you seen the court the

Very the LED Court I’ve seen it I’ve seen on Instagram do you think I mean it is pretty impressive you know to be honest um hopefully I’m not you know blinded by the lights I should be fun what about being in a Stadium versus an arena like

This oh it’s going to be different that’s different yeah it’s fun real fun who do you have wi the Three-Point Shootout St as much as I love Sabrina I got to go with stuff you know yeah I just got to go with stuff where did you spend your first NBA check

On first NBA check great question uh I ain’t going to lie my first few checks I used to save everything you know until that moment came you know started buying some shoes and some clothes um probably like from my mom and sister something like that no if you had a walk

Out song what would it be can’t tell me nothing Kanye if you played a different sport professionally what would it be o that’s a great question see me I think you know as as some of you may know I’m you know really confident I think I I could play hockey

Hockey or football you know I used to play I used to play hockey growing up the last question pick any four players in NBA history for your dream DK contest um Vince Vince Carter Dominique Wilkins Zack LaVine gota be in there um and Obi toic thanks man at what age did

You stop playing hockey and was it simply to devote more of your time to basketball I stopped playing hockey when I was um 4 15 I remember I had I had uh this tournament in a hocke and in a in a basketball game at the same time and and fun fact my mom

Has never seen me play until my first NBA game but she came to all my hockey games cuz she knew what hockey was you know she know hockey players were making a little bit of money so she was like you know but um I was like

15 what did it take to teach your mom them the game of basketball and does she like it yet yeah just College closest calling um okay as soon as she heard you know the NBA she was like oh okay you know I’m pretty familiar with the NBA I I guess

It’s fine obviously a lot of influenced by your sister she’s I I assume she’s going to be here when she talked to you what advice did she give you about this one I know she gave some advice for the last one uh she told me to pretty much

You know um enjoy the moment enjoy the moment you know especially having an Indies you know it’s my second year um pretty much you know I don’t I don’t really get you know too excited about those moments so she she’s kind of the person to like you know put me in my

Place and you know tell me to enjoy those kind of stuff cuz I used to dream about those moments I used to dream about being in a skills challenge so you know she’s pretty much just around to like uh to keep me to keep me Focus getting back to hockey were you forward

Or deep say it again getting back to hockey Defender Defender Sho they used to call me that I was way taller way stronger I couldn’t understand what they say PK but left Defender Ben what impresses you most about this group when you see this group that’s assembled here in the level

Of talent amongst all these young guys it’s great I mean you know seeing all those guys um you know being a rising stars it’s fun I feel like it you know guys are really competitive you know looking to play out there and you know I

Told my team you know I’m trying to win especially in Indie I didn’t tell him I was trying to get the MVP cuz you know but but you’re trying to eat the MVP yeah I’m trying to get it well I’m going get yeah I’m try what’s the balance of like taking stuff

From Tyrese as you know an All-Star starter but also teaching and helping Oscar kind of learn the ways of the Rising Stars you’ve been here before so I mean you know obviously like you said tyus I think he was you know two time R st um him you know having having him

Around the team especially that early in my career has definitely helped me but it’s definitely going to help you know uh OT just to you know to to feel more comfortable you know and to go out there Fearless I want to go back to asking continu said you have to learn

Play how do you think You’ impr as as but pretty much just I had to you know sacrifice sacrifice obviously um you know you know college was different you know high school was different so I mean I told him I said I’m willing to you know to be coach hard I’m willing to

Sacrifice for the team I’m trying to win you know as many games as I can so um my part on this team just to help the team win and just have an impact as soon as I go to the game how do you see things coming along both integrating Pascal and

Doug and them understanding you and vice versa um as a team I mean I think I think the the most important thing you know for us is to spend you know time off the court you know obviously we’re going to be on the road for you know for

A long time and together um you know having Pascal who speaks French you know we we have a chance to get closer having Doug you know Doug is a great person you know just just you know fitting everywhere it’s easy with Pascal do you naturally speak French too like is that

Instinctual yeah for sure I mean the first language is French so it comes off of French mentioned you watch to that would be an amazing thing um I mean she’s you know she’s a great player um I think she just broke the record you know last last night which is unbelievable

Um actually seen a shot I knew she was going to shoot it I don’t know what they you know did in triple team you know stuff like that but um I mean it would be amazing for her to come leag for sure 100% having Jaylen Brown I

Thought OB top was going to do it you know but his his U his little brother is doing this is fine with you you you guys had J Jason I can’t I couldn’t you know going against the Celtics this year jayen Jason what has that kind of done for you going up

Against um I mean it’s been great it’s been a challenge for sure um just having fun with it embracing it and you know pretty much learning you know as I get the assignment of you know going out there and playing as playing as hard as

I can against them you know so I’m just enjoying the moment did you guys give Obie a hard time for not doing the slam D content for sure I mean if I was you know if I did it a couple years ago and I you I won I definitely would have

Would would have did it again so

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin spoke with the media ahead of Rising Stars practice on Friday.