Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2). Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Former Gonzaga star earns prestigious NBA honor

Originally posted on Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI
By Cole Forsman | Last updated Feb 5, 2025 2:14 PM ET

The NBA recognized Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard as January's Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month.

Nembhard helped guide the Pacers to the league's third-best defensive rating (109.7, No. 1 in the East) over the span of 12 games last month, which included 10 victories. The former Gonzaga standout suited up in all but one game.

Nembhard averaged 1.9 steals, third-best in the NBA, while chipping in 10.2 points, 5.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 30.9 minutes per game last month. The 6-foot-5 Canadian also forced 2.1 turnovers per game, which ranked No. 3 in the NBA over that span.

The Pacers started the new year with a bang, as they won their first six games of 2025 by double-digit margins, including a 15-point win over the Eastern Conference's No. 1 team in the standings, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Jan. 12. Nembhard had to step up to carry the load offensively after Indiana's All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton left the first half due to hamstring tightness. Nembhard led the way in scoring with 19 points on 7-of-11 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, while recording four assists, two rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes.

The Pacers (28-21) are fourth in the Eastern Conference table following a setback against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Nembhard nabbed two steals to go with 17 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists. He's now recorded multiple steals in eight of his last nine appearances.

Nembhard, the 31st overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, hasn't shied away from a defensive assignment since joining the Pacers as a second-round pick out of Gonzaga. His toughness and tenacity played a key role during Indiana's run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. From All-NBA guard Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks to the New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, Nembhard never backed down from some of the league's most talented players at the position while also contributing 14.9 points and 5.5 assists per game in the first playoff run of his career.