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LYNCHBURG, VA – FEBRUARY 27: Taelon Peter #2 of the Liberty Flames dribbles the ballduring a … More college basketball game against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Liberty Arena on February 27, 2025 in Lynchburg, Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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INDIANAPOLIS \u2013 The Indiana Pacers plan to sign rookie guard Taelon Peter to a two-way contract<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Pacers selected Peter with the 54th overall selection<\/a> in the 2025 NBA Draft. The first-year player comes to Indiana from Liberty University, where he played his fifth and final season of college basketball.<\/p>\n At Liberty, Peter was one of the most efficient play finishers in the NCAA ranks. He canned 45.3% of his 170 three-point attempts while knocking down 75.6% of his two-point looks. Few players combined his athleticism and jump shooting ability, which is why he was a draft-worthy prospect despite coming off the bench for a Conference USA program.<\/p>\n “He\u2019s got this rare combination of explosive athleticism and really good skill,\u201d Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay said of Peter<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was willing to trade the things that would give him shine, attention, credibility, whatever, for what was going to be something that the team could benefit from. And that\u2019s who Taelon Peter is,\u201d McKay added.<\/p>\n Those traits and skills led Peter to the NBA, and specifically to the Pacers. He had to earn his two-way deal, though. Indiana entered the offseason with guard RayJ Dennis already under contract with one of the team\u2019s three allowed two-way agreements, and Quenton Jackson quickly signed another one<\/a>. That left one open slot for Peter, and he certainly had some competition, particularly in second-year big man Enrique Freeman.<\/p>\n Freeman performed well in summer league, and he spent his first season with the blue and gold. But the Pacers pulled Freeman\u2019s qualifying offer on Tuesday, making him an unrestricted free agent and simultaneously indicating that Freeman is not in their future plans.<\/p>\n That proved to be correct as the team turned to Peter a few days later. The 23-year old will be a part of Indiana\u2019s roster for the coming season.<\/p>\n Liberty guard Taelon Peter reacts after a 3-point basket against Oregon during the second half in … More the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo\/Ryan Sun)<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved<\/p>\n Why did the Pacers sign Taelon Peter?<\/p>\n Peter averaged 9.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game during his four appearances for the Pacers during summer league play. His maturity was obvious, and his defense was impressive. He knocked 57.1% of his shot attempts despite struggling from three-point range.<\/p>\n Showing off more skill than just play finishing made Peter the right choice for the Pacers final two-way deal. While Freeman put up numbers, he didn\u2019t fit into the team\u2019s roster as much with four centers already under contract. Given Freeman\u2019s productivity in the summer sessions, he is a candidate to sign a two-way or standard deal with another franchise.<\/p>\n Peter\u2019s two-way agreement with the Pacers is a two-year pact. It gives Indiana more time to develop the guard who has obvious skills but still needs to grow. The Pacers have helped several of their young players improve in recent years under head coach Rick Carlisle\u2019s program.<\/p>\n