Chris Duarte made his NBA debut on Wednesday night for the Indiana Pacers and it was one of the best that the franchise has ever seen. Not only did Duarte play well, but he looked like a seasoned NBA star. After being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Pacers appear to have gotten a major steal.
In his first NBA game, Duarte ended up dropping 27 points on the Charlotte Hornets. Unfortunately, that incredible performance ended with a one-point heartbreaking loss by the Pacers. Indiana gave up a 23-point third-quarter lead and was unable to recover to pick up their first win of the year.
Following his impressive debut, one NBA scout is expecting big things from Duarte. He spoke to NBA Analysis Network and made a huge prediction for Duarte’s future in the league.
“A lot of people were comparing (Chris) Duarte to Klay Thompson during the NBA Draft process, and now you see why. I’ll take it a step further. Duarte is going to make the same kind of impact in Indiana that Klay has made in Golden State.”
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While dropping 27 points, Duarte also showcased an impressive shooting ability. He shot 9-for-15 from the floor overall and knocked down 6-of-9 from behind the three-point arc.
Even late in the game when the game was on the line, the Pacers kept their rookie shooting guard on the floor. He made big shots and played solid defense as well. Indiana definitely should be happy with the performance they received from their rookie, even with a brutal loss to begin the year.
At 24 years of age, many thought the Pacers were making a mistake by taking Duarte over the younger Moses Moody. However, this performance shows exactly what Kevin Pritchard and the Indiana front office saw in him. His future definitely looks bright and he could end up becoming an integral part of what the Pacers do in the future.
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To compare him to Klay Thompson is certainly a bold move. Taking that a step farther and predicting that he will make the same impact on the Indiana Pacers that Thompson has with the Warriors is an even bigger move. Hearing those things show just how good Chris Duarte is capable of becoming.
If you want to bet on anything Pacers related, check out Indiana sports betting.
