How Wildcats' Mathurin Played Key Role in Pacers' Finals Run

Former Arizona Wildcats shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder during a March game against the Dallas Mavericks, requiring season-ending surgery in 2024.

During his two seasons at Arizona (2020-2022), Mathurin was a significant scorer, averaging 14.8 points on 45% shooting in 29.4 minutes per game. He played a key role in Arizona reaching the 2022 Sweet 16, where they lost to Houston. Notably, he scored 30 points in 41 minutes during an overtime win against TCU in the second round.

Mathurin returned to play most of the following season, proving effective off the bench for the Indiana Pacers, who reached the 2025 NBA Finals. In the Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder (which the Pacers lost in seven games), he averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.3 assists. His best performance was a 27-point outing on 9-12 shooting in just 22 minutes during a Game 3 win, earning praise from Coach Rick Carlisle.

Overall in the regular season, Mathurin averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.6 steals in 78 games, similar to his rookie year stats of 16.1 points in 72 games (49 starts).

He missed the 2023-2024 playoffs due to the shoulder injury, watching as the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to Boston. Mathurin found it difficult to spectate but acknowledged the team's significant improvement from 25 wins to a Conference Finals appearance as a "blessing" to witness early in his career.

Mathurin is now entering the final year of his 4-year rookie contract for the 2025-2026 season, with no news yet on a potential extension from the Pacers.