Everybody knows Tyrese Haliburton is the heart of the Pacers—their leader, engine, and single most important piece. But after his devastating torn Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Indiana’s offseason plans shifted dramatically. To make matters worse, 10-year veteran Myles Turner jumped ship to the Milwaukee Bucks, not just an Eastern rival but a division rival. Suddenly, the question looms: who can the Pacers rely on next season?

One candidate is already leaning into the moment. Gonzaga alum Andrew Nembhard surprised fans this week by posting on Instagram for the very first time, captioned simply “Chapter 4.” The video introduction showed him grinning as he began: “What’s up, Andrew Nembhard, Pacers guard, Canadian hooper. Might know me from college, Gonzaga, Florida. Here to give y’all a little more insight into what I’m doing off the court.” Entering his fourth year in the NBA, Nembhard gave a glimpse into his offseason schedule—an unexpected peek behind the curtain from a player who’s usually all business.

Even his backcourt partner Haliburton couldn’t resist joking about the milestone: “IG ain’t ever even heard your voice this is groundbreaking.” For a Pacers team searching for a new face of stability, it seems like Nembhard is already preparing for the spotlight.

In his video, he shared multiple clips of working out with his younger brother, Ryan, who signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks. After the workout, the Pacers guard exclaimed, “That’s what I wake up and do every day. I love it.” The video featured the song ON THE RISE from Draft Day, which explains the situation the 25-year-old is in.

The lyric in focus was “I ain’t even reach my m——– max yet“. Meaning, the fans are yet to see his full potential. Nembhard has been a fantastic complementary piece in Indiana, but next season, he will become the leader of the team as the full-time point guard. This past season, we saw him start a career-high 65 games, averaging 28.9 minutes of action consistently. His defensive tenacity is already known, as he won the accolade of Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for games played in January.

During that period, Nembhard collected a team-high 21 steals over his 11 starts in January, as the team posted a 10-2 record. Plus, he was ranked third in two categories, for averaging 1.9 steals and for forcing 2.1 turnovers per game. But now, it’s an additional responsibility to lead the attack.

Andrew Nembhard is poised for the biggest year of his career. Even coming off the Pacers’ historic Finals run last season, the 25-year-old guard steps into a dramatically different role.

Few young guards are better positioned to seize that opportunity. Nembhard has already shown flashes of two-way maturity—his steady pick-and-roll decision-making, perimeter defense, and composure in late-game situations all stood out during Indiana’s playoff surge. Now, those flashes will need to become nightly habits.

Rick Carlisle has long been regarded as one of the NBA’s best coaches at maximizing guards, from Jason Kidd in Dallas to Jalen Brunson during his early years to Haliburton’s rise in Indiana. His system thrives on pace, space, and high-IQ guards who can manipulate defenses. Nembhard fits that mold perfectly, and Carlisle’s trust in him has grown steadily.

If Nembhard capitalizes on the increased touches and responsibility, an All-Star nod isn’t out of reach. At minimum, this season offers a chance for him to solidify himself as a foundational piece as the Pacers look to build on last year’s momentum.

Tyrese Haliburton sends a positive update, while Nembhard gets confidence for his role

Big moments don’t faze the Canadian guard. Even during the 2024 playoffs, it was his heroics in Game 3 against the Knicks, where he drained the game-winner despite not scoring in the first 46 minutes. This continued during the recent playoff run. In the Pacers’ 117-98 Game 1 win over the Bucks, it was Nembhard who helped set the tone. He scored eight of their first 21 points — all four field goals at the rim, attacking aggressively. Even in the NBA finals against the OKC, it was Tyrese Haliburton who grabbed headlines for his game-winner, but his backcourt partner played an important role.

The Gonzaga alum hit multiple clutch shots and shut down NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at key points in the final quarter to help the Indiana nine-point comeback inside three minutes to go in the game. This even earned props from his teammates. “But, I just think we did a great job of showing bodies, and that starts with Drew and his persistence over 48 minutes. So, that’s his calling hard, and we have the utmost trust in him to get stops,” said Haliburton.

The 2x All-Star is out recovering and recently stated on the Pat McAfee show, “I’m good, I’m good. I’m on two shoes now, so we’re out of the boot, which is nice. I feel like I do a million calf raises a day, but we’re getting there.” What can the fans expect Nembhard to do in his absence? Michael Shearer of HoopsHype pointed out. “While I don’t expect Nembhard to average 28 points per game this season, his ability to scale up on offense without sacrificing his excellent defense will be a pivotal part of Indiana’s attempts to remain competitive without Haliburton and the departed Myles Turner.”

Shearer points out that Nembhard’s defense and ability to run the offense will be the key to the Pacers‘ success. The Canadian already signed a three-year, $59 million contract extension with the Indiana Pacers in July 2024. That deal kicks in this season, so that’s another motivation factor for Nembhard to ball out.