Indiana
Indiana Pacers Reportedly Add Purdue’s Lance Jones to NBA Summer League Roster
Purdue fifth-year senior guard Lance Jones will get the opportunity to prove he belongs in the NBA. According to a report from Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, the former Boilermaker will join the Indiana Pacers for the NBA Summer League.
Jones was not selected during the 2024 NBA Draft. He was one of 36 players to attend a pre-draft workout hosted by the Pacers following the conclusion of the 2023-24 college basketball season.
Jones spent one year in West Lafayette and was a key member of a Purdue squad that finished with a 34-5 record, won a Big Ten regular season title and played in the National Championship Game. He transferred after playing four seasons at Southern Illinois.
Purdue guard Lance Jones plans to join the Pacers for Summer League, league source tells @FieldhouseFiles.
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) June 27, 2024
Following his workout with Indiana, Jones felt optimistic about his performance.
“I think it went really well. I feel like me, personally, I competed at a high level along with the other guys, as well,” Jones said of his workout in a video posted by the Pacers.
In his lone season in West Lafayette, Jones averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. He also shot 41.3% from the floor and 35.7% from 3-point range.
Jones finished his five-year college career with 1,971 points, 479 rebounds, 361 assists and 226 assists.
Jones also reflected positively on his time at Purdue. While his four seasons at Southern Illinois helped him develop into an excellent player, he believes his time around Matt Painter and the Boilermakers elevated his game.
“I think it helped me tremendously,” Jones said. “You know, being at Purdue we go against top competition in the nation, some of the best players. I think it just helped my confidence.”
FORMER BOILERS CONGRATULATE EDEY: Several former Boilermakers congratulated Zach Edey’s NBA Draft selection through social media on Wednesday night. He was picked No. 9 by the Memphis Grizzlies. CLICK HERE
JA MORANT’S HILARIOUS REACTION TO EDEY PICK: Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant had an incredibly funny reaction to the team selecting Purdue’s Zach Edey during the NBA Draft. CLICK HERE
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY, Ind. (WSBT) — It’s fair season and a new law uncorks adult beverage sales!
The new Indiana law will go into effect July 1st, making it legal to sell alcohol at county fairs.
The Kosciusko County Fair is set to kick off in just a few weeks and Indiana is officially allowing alcohol to be sold.
The law is bringing back something that’s not necessarily new to this fair.
Here’s what you need to know
The new law will go into effect on July 1st. It officially allows county fairs to apply for fee-free permits to sell alcohol.
Officials with the Kosciusko County Fair say they are participating this year. They are implementing the same guidelines they used when they sold alcohol just at grandstand events.
The difference now is, you can walk around the grounds with your drink. But strict guidelines will be in place for purchasing a drink.
“Actually, we’ve never had any issues. Because we card everybody, so we take that seriously. We also got the ID guides so we can identify the different types of IDs,” said Sheal Dirck, Treasurer of Kosciusko County Fair.
The Kosciusko County Fair already have guidelines in place, so this was an easy transition for the fair.
They will be the only vendors selling alcohol, which will make it easier to control distribution.
The sales will also bring in more revenue.
“Hopefully it allows to keep our ticket prices where they are because right now, insurance, utilities and everything else is going sky high and it’s hard to make ends meet,” said Dirck.
However, some fairs cannot participate because of the July 1st start date, like the Pulaski County Fair, which is going on right now. Pulaski County officials said it is on the agenda for next year. Whereas other fairs are choosing to sit this year out.
“We wanted not spend some time to, to see what that really means for us. It was not a decision we wanted to rush into. But we are happy for the option of it,” said Shelly Steury, GM of Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds.
Leaders at the St. Joseph County and Elkhart County Fairs said neither of them are selling alcohol.
The Kosciusko County Fair is the only fair that will sell alcohol in our area this year.
Indiana
‘Foul play’ suspected in death investigation on Indiana-Ohio state line, Wayne County officials say
WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating the death of a person who died in the emergency department of Reid Health in Richmond.
Wayne County Coroner Brent Meadows was notified of the death Wednesday evening, according to a media release. Evidence has reportedly indicated that foul play is involved.
Officials believe the incident may have occurred in the area of the Petro Travel Center in New Paris, Ohio, just across the Indiana-Ohio state line.
The coroner’s office said the deceased person has been transported to the Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, for a forensic autopsy and identification.
The office is still working the locate and identify the victim’s family.
This remains an active investigation.
News 8’s Michaela Springer contributed to this report.
Braden Smith spent four seasons with Purdue basketball proving all the power conference programs who overlooked him missed out.
Now the former Boilermaker point guard has a chance to do the same in the NBA.
Smith, a Westfield native, is headed to the Pacers after Indiana traded for him when the Chicago Bulls selected him with the 38th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a source confirmed to IndyStar.
Smith is Purdue’s third draft pick in five years, joining lottery picks Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey among a group of now 11 NBA draft selections to play at Purdue under Matt Painter.
Here’s a look at Smith’s Purdue career and what he brings to the Pacers.
Before capping a career that includes two Big Ten regular season and two Big Ten Tournament championships, along with helping Purdue end a 44-year Final Four drought, Smith broke former Duke guard Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA assists record.
Along the way, Smith took home the 2025 Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard in a season where he also was the Big Ten Player of the Year. A two-time consensus first-team All-American, Smith finished his Purdue career eighth in career points (1,932), third in steals (249) and has the top three assist seasons in school history that helped add to his NCAA record total of 1,103.
Smith’s knock is his 5-foot-10 1/2 height measurement, but that didn’t deter him from being one of college basketball’s top players.
What Smith lacked in height, he made up for in basketball IQ. He’s lethal with a midrange jump shot and showcased an unblockable fadeaway that allowed him to shoot over lengthier defenders. He mastered manipulating defenses while playing with marquee big men the last four seasons.
His role in the NBA likely will be not require him to be the team’s primary playmaker immediately. Smith’s awareness of that fact pushed a more defensive-minded approach in preparation for the next level. At the NBA Draft Combine in May, Smith showed he’s capable of defending elite guards.
Smith is an elite competitor who never showed to shy away from the dirty work, which is something that can help him earn NBA minutes as a rookie while trying to find his footing in an unfamiliar backup role.
Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter.
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