Pacers' Aaron Nesmith growing beyond his 'absolute sniper' billing

When the Boston Celtics selected Aaron Nesmith with the 14th pick in the 2020 NBA draft, they likely believed they were getting a sharpshooting wing. Nesmith entered the NBA with the reputation of being the best shooter in his draft class. 

"[I'm an] absolute sniper," Nesmith told Celtics reporters during a news conference after being drafted. "A guy who's going to make life easier for the creators of the offense like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker." 

Now with the Indiana Pacers, Nesmith shot 41.9% from three-point range this season, living up to his initial statement. However, throughout the Pacers' Eastern Conference Finals run against his former team, Nesmith showed he was far more than a single-skill talent. 

During that four-game series, Nesmith spent the majority of his time guarding Jayson Tatum, a player widely viewed as one of the best offensive talents in the NBA and one whom Nesmith had previously guarded in practice on countless occasions. 

Still, it's unlikely that anybody expected him to put the clamps on Tatum is such a convincing fashion.

Nesmith guarded Tatum for a total of 32 minutes and 57 seconds during the conference finals. He held Tatum to 9-of-25 shooting (36%) from the field and 1-of-8 from the perimeter (12.5%). He forced Tatum into four turnovers and only allowed five assists. 

Tatum totaled 26 points over those 32 minutes and 57 seconds. In contrast, his teammates combined for 158. 

Single-skill sharpshooters don't limit one of the best scorers in the NBA in such a dominant fashion. They also don't see 52.9% of their offense come from dribble pull-ups in the mid-range when the defense runs them off the three-point line. 

Yet, that's exactly what Nesmith did. He found ways to score when Boston limited his space and rhythm on the perimeter, leaning into a skill he developed during the offseason.

Since leaving the Celtics, Nesmith has developed into a talented wing. He can defend at an elite level. He knocks down his perimeter shots at an above-average clip. He's proven he can get to the rim as an off-ball cutter or when driving closeouts, and he can hit mid-range jumpers off the bounce. 

He's becoming a prototypical forward, the kind of player for which every team in the NBA consistently searches.

So yes, Nesmith is the sniper he told us he was, but that isn't the only type of player he's been this year. And that won't be the player we see him become moving forward. 

Nesmith is better than that. This run to the conference finals should prove that to himself and everybody watching.