Indiana

James Wiseman Another Bet On Indiana Pacers Ability To Develop

Published

2 years ago

July 6, 2024

James Wiseman Another Bet On Indiana Pacers Ability To Develop

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 22: James Wiseman #13 of the Detroit Pistons dunks the ball past … [+] Obi Toppin #1 of the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 22, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers officially signed center James Wiseman on Friday, a move that was necessitated by the reported departure of Jalen Smith. The blue and gold needed a big man, and they got one in Wiseman.

It’s a fascinating signing, and one that is a no-risk, high reward deal for the Pacers. Wiseman was the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and was considered a high-upside big man at the time. So far, that hasn’t come to fruition. But if anyone can turn his fortunes, it’s Indiana.

The blue and gold have improved as a team in the last three years in large part because of their ability to develop players who weren’t panning out elsewhere. Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, Jalen Smith, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jordan Nwora all came to Indiana from other places where they either didn’t fit perfectly, didn’t play, or weren’t in the long-term plans. They all got better with the Pacers.

“The most rewarding part of this job has been the player development aspect of it,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said in late May. “When you’re a small market team, there are certain things you’ve got to be great at. You’ve got to be great at player development.”

Another commonality among those players is they were all drafted in 2020. That’s more of a coincidence than anything, but that applies to Wiseman as well. The Pacers new center, along with Haliburton, Nesmith, Toppin, and Smith were all selected in the lottery of that draft.

Wiseman will hope that Indiana can help him find his footing in the NBA. With the Golden State Warriors, he was given chances to play but wasn’t effective or on the team’s timeline. He also missed an entire season due to injury, and he was traded to the Detroit Pistons at the 2023 trade deadline for several second-round draft picks.

With the Pistons, Wiseman struggled. He was out of the rotation early in the most recent campaign. Along the way, there were flashes — Wiseman’s size and speed gave him incredible highs. But his defense, turnovers, and lack of range are limiting.

Wiseman’s contract reflects a player has yet to put it all together. It’s a two-year deal, and the fact that it was signed before the moratorium was complete confirms it’s a minimum salary deal. It is partially guaranteed in the first season, and there’s a team option on year two. There’s almost no risk for the Pacers.

Yet there is upside, certainly, and the fact that Indiana signed Wiseman at all is reflective of their belief that he could turn into something over the life of the deal. The blue and gold are a contending team — they need their reserve players to produce when they are called upon. As the projected third center behind Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson, Wiseman will play when injuries pop up. Indiana will need him to execute, and they wouldn’t have added him without some faith he can perform.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – DECEMBER 11: Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket … [+] against James Wiseman #13 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on December 11, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Indiana won the game 131-123. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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If he can’t help out, then he won’t play. Wiseman will have to get better as a pick-and-roll defender, a ball caretaker, and a jump shooter. His range is limited, and his defense needs work. The average distance of a Wiseman shot attempt last season was under five feet, and Detroit’s defense was about 3.7 points per 100 possessions worse with Wiseman on the court. He has room to improve around his impressive rebounding and play finishing.

Certain players have seen their skills grow at these traits with the Pacers in recent seasons. Isaiah Jackson has improved as a defender, particularly with his discipline. Smith became a much better shooter with the blue and gold, as did Toppin and Nemsith. Nwora grew as a passer. Any of those improvements happening with Wiseman would be a welcome sight.

It would be a win for both parties. Wiseman needed to find a team that could help him get better and increase his chances of having a long NBA career. The Pacers hope they can turn a young, unproven player into a cheap contributor. Both groups really want this partnership to work.

That’s why it makes sense as a signing, especially if Wiseman is able to get better over the life of the deal. Indiana needs him to produce, but if he does, this agreement will be a win-win as Wiseman bets on himself with a lightly guaranteed contract.

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Indiana

Watch: IU football honored before IU-Purdue basketball game

Published

6 hours ago

January 27, 2026

Press Room

Watch: IU football honored before IU-Purdue basketball game

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — The celebration continues for IU football’s national championship.

Before the IU-Purdue men’s basketball game on Tuesday, head coach Curt Cignetti and some IU football players brought the national championship trophy to half court.

Cignetti also took the mic and thanked the IU fans for their support.

To see the celebration, watch the video above.

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Indiana

Wawa opening with free coffee. What to know about Indiana’s newest store

Published

18 hours ago

January 27, 2026

Press Room

Wawa opening with free coffee. What to know about Indiana’s newest store

Motorists braving the extreme cold this week will have a new travel center at which to fuel their vehicles and bodies in Indiana

Wawa is slated to open a location in Richmond on Jan. 29.

The grand opening at 2600 Williamsburg Pike will commence at 7:55 a.m. with the doors opening at 8 a.m.

The first 250 customers will get free t-shirts.

All customers through Feb. 1 will get free hot coffee, any size.

The 8,000-square-foot store will offer Wawa’s signature made-to-order hoagies, fresh-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, and a dinner menu that includes burgers, soups and sides.

The store will have interior and exterior seating areas; 16 liquid fuel spots for passenger drivers; 20 EV charging stalls; five high-speed diesel fuel lanes accepting over-the-road (OTR) payments; and a pet relief area.

Richmond will be Indiana’s ninth Wawa location.

The Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain entered the state in May 2025 with a store in Daleville, and quickly followed with openings in Noblesville and Clarksville.

The chain plans to open 60 stores in Indiana, including a location at 7140 E. Washington St. in Indianapolis scheduled for early 2027.

Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com: @cherylvjackson or Bluesky: @cherylvjackson.bsky.social.

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Indiana

How does this winter storm measure up to the Blizzard of 1978 in Indiana

Published

1 day ago

January 26, 2026

Press Room

How does this winter storm measure up to the Blizzard of 1978 in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — For long-time Hoosiers, when snowstorms are in the forecast, the Blizzard of ’78 comes to mind.

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How does this winter storm measure up to the Blizzard of 1978 in Indiana

That’s the case for Faith Toole, who lives in Pittsboro now. She lived in Noblesville in 1978, and she had a one-week-old baby during the blizzard.

“We actually saved water. We got buckets and pans,” Toole remembered of the blizzard. “We had oil heat at the time, so we had to make sure our oil was good.”

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The blizzard became a benchmark of sorts, since it set many weather records.

“I really thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime, but we got so close this time around. We really did. I’m just thankful we didn’t,” Toole said.

The winter storm that happened across Central Indiana on January 24 and 25, 2026, did pack quite the punch for Hoosiers, with an event snowfall total of 11.1″ in Indianapolis and frigid temperatures.

Did the storm compare to the historic Blizzard of ’78?

The blizzard occurred over the period of January 25, 26, and 27, 1978. It was the first time a blizzard warning was ever issued for Indiana.

What is a blizzard? It doesn’t entail snow totals. Instead, it focuses on the impact of gusty winds (gusts over 35 mph) and low visibility (less than a quarter mile) that lasts for an extended period of time (three hours).

During the storm in 1978, wind gusts over 50 mph lasted through the 26 and 27 of January.

“The wind, I’ll never forget the wind, how it blew!” exclaimed Toole.

The National Weather Service recorded visibility less than a quarter mile for 25 hours straight.

The wind in the 1978 storm also created blowing and drifting snow, with some drifts 20 to 25 feet.

How does this compare to the 2026 storm?

Wind gusts stayed less than 30 mph, so this time, we did not reach blizzard criteria.

We did see quite a bit of snow: 11.1″ in Indianapolis, with other areas in Central Indiana seeing even higher totals.

In 1978, it snowed 15.5″ across the three days.

1978 was also unique because there had already been a bit of snow on the ground before the blizzard got started.

To this day, the Blizzard of ’78 still holds the record for the most snow on the ground in Indianapolis, set at 20″.

“It felt like it snowed a lot longer. Had we had the wind, it would have been ’78 all over again,” Toole said.

It was very cold, with lows near zero degrees, and wind chills near -50 degrees during the blizzard.

Similarly, in 2026, we have frigid air temperatures, meaning it will be difficult to clear the snow this week. Temperatures may not climb above freezing until next week.

The roads and businesses that have been shut down following the storm in 2026 are a reminder of the closures in 1978.

Toole says she stayed at home following the blizzard, mainly focusing on sleeping when she could (because of her one-week-old baby).

“Reading, we were into word search at the time,” Toole remembered how she spent the time indoors. “We didn’t have devices to do anything. We had the TV, and that was it.”

Luckily for Hoosiers, technology has come a long way since 1978, meaning there was more to do while cooped up indoors during the 2026 storm.

“It wasn’t as boring, because it was 24/7 news coverage for the weather!” laughed Toole. “And you know, I had my games on my phone to play, movies to watch.”