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Indiana Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, the team announced Saturday.
According to the Pacers, Mathurin is expected to make a full recovery before the start of the 2024-25 season. It’s a tough blow for a Pacers team that is battling for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, as the 21-year-old has excelled off the bench.
Mathurin suffered the injury during Indiana’s 137-120 victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
The former Arizona standout has typically remained healthy throughout his brief NBA career, appearing in 78 contests during his rookie campaign before suiting up in 59 of a possible 63 games this season before he was shut down.
The procedure is scheduled for “next week” and will be performed by surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who has worked with several notable athletes, such as Aaron Rodgers and Shohei Ohtani, the team said.
After finishing No. 4 in Rookie of the Year voting, Mathurin was following it up with an efficient sophomore season before the injury. He’ll finish the year with averages of 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 44.6/37.4/82.1 shooting splits.
He thrived as a backup for the Pacers, as his scoring average of 13.9 points per game off the bench ranks No. 9 among all reserves that have appeared in at least 20 contests (via NBA.com).
Rookie shooting guard Ben Sheppard will likely take over Mathurin’s role in head coach Rick Carlisle’s rotation, as he played 19 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. Sheppard has averaged 4.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game off the bench this season, shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from behind the arc.
