The Pacers went into the draft eyeing three positions -- point guard, swingman and big man. When their pick came around at 13, team president Larry Bird went the safe route by picking a seasoned four-year college player.
Indiana selected North Carolina All-American forward Tyler Hansbrough with its first-round pick. "I'm very excited to be here, looking forward to the opportunity to help out Indiana in any way I can help the team win -- that's what I'm about," Hansbrough said. "I'm very thrilled to be here."
Hansbrough comes to Indiana with some question marks. Scouts wonder if he's athletic and strong enough to be an effective player in the NBA.
"Tyler's been beat down for four years," Bird said. "Everybody says his game won't translate to the NBA. He'll be fine. He'll do a good job."
The Pacers picked Connecticut point guard A.J. Price, who has a long road ahead of him to make the team, in the second rounds.
Hansbrough, who may never be an All-Star player, will help the Pacers because they needed all the help they could get in the frontcourt, and he's playing with a chip on his shoulder to prove doubters wrong. He's joining a frontcourt rotation that already features Roy Hibbert, Troy Murphy, Jeff Foster and Danny Granger.
"He'll score in this league," Bird said about Hansbrough. "He's got a relentless work ethic. I want players who play hard every night, leave their hearts on the floor and have a passion for the game. And that's where Tyler fits in."
