Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) reacts during the first half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Pacers Forward Already Trash Talking Rookie Top Pick

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers love what Bennedict Mathurin brings to the team in terms of his mentality. When he was drafted, he said that LeBron James had to prove that he was a better player than him.

That kind of confidence is exactly what he needs to be an elite scorer. The Pacers ask him to come off the bench and get buckets, although he needs to develop different parts of his game.

Mathurin has started to get a little bit of a reputation for being a trash talker. The 6-foot-6 wing doesn't get very animated doing it, but he says some subtle things to players.

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It's pretty clear that Mathurin does not discriminate on who he talks trash to. Rookie VJ Edgecomb recently told a story about Mathurin giving it to him.

"When you get to the league, ima bust ya ass."

— Bennedict Mathurin to VJ Edgecombe

(via @PodcastPShow)

pic.twitter.com/auPd6K7xo6
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 28, 2025

"I was at Euro camp. I won MVP or whatnot," Edgecombe said. "After all that, Bennedict Mathurin come to me talking about, 'When you come to the league, I'm gonna bust your a--.' I'm like, 'Alright bro.' I'm telling you, he ain't even say 'What's up?' He's like 'Yeah, I'm gonna bust you. I'm like, 'Damn, where the love at?'"

Mathurin is a very confident individual. He wants to make sure that everyone knows that he is better than everyone on the court, although that might not be true. He thinks he's the best player on the court every night.

Indiana doesn't have another player like Mathurin on the roster. He is someone that has irrational confidence, which is something that every team needs.

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Mathurin will likely get an opportunity to start this year with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year after tearing his Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder.

When Mathurin started for half of this past season, he was a good scorer and an improved rebounder. The Pacers are going to need him to improve as a playmaker, too.

This is going to be the year in which the Pacers finally learn what Mathurin is going to be as a player long-term. His trash talking certainly isn't going anywhere.

This past season, Mathurin averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

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This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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