Indiana
Jarace Walker preparing to play on the wing in summer league ahead of important second season with Indiana Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS — 2023 lottery pick Jarace Walker is a different player than he was one year ago. The 20-year old forward is getting ready for summer league with the Indiana Pacers, and despite his young age, he’s taking on a leadership role with the squad.
“It’s definitely more of a leadership role with this group. Because I’ve been there, I did it, and the other guys have as well,” Walker shared over the weekend. He made sure to tell some of the younger players that mistakes happen and it’s important to move on when they do. “So just knowing that, but also knowing what to say, when to say it, who I’m talking to, and all that. So it’s definitely been a step up in terms of leadership.”
For Walker, improving how he uses his voice is just a small part of the growth he hopes to have this season. In year one, there weren’t a ton of playing opportunities for the young forward. Indiana had a deep roster, so it was tough to hand minutes to a young, unproven player.
In year two, if Walker shows off growth in a few areas, that could change. The Pacers still have a deep roster from top to bottom, but Walker is farther up the depth chart. One injury is all it will take for him to play, but he has to be ready when given chances. That’s why it’s important that he takes a step forward this offseason.
“I feel like just the knowledge that I have, having a year under my belt,” Walker said of the differences he notices from his first summer league to now. “Just learning the concepts, learning the play calls already.”
Walker averaged 3.6 points and 1.9 assists per game as a rookie, though some short garbage time appearances impacted his numbers. In the G League, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Importantly, he showed off an accurate three-point shot at that level.
This year, the Houston product wants to be better in every way. If he’s going to get on the court and be the game-changing defender his potential suggests he can be, he’ll need to take a few steps forward. Walker acknowledged that on Saturday.
“I just want to continue to grow and develop my game. And I feel like this is the perfect opportunity to do it,” he said after a summer league practice. “Being able to showcase what I can do with players who are hungry, coming into the league, ready to hoops, ready to get after it. So it’s definitely a fun experience. My mindset is just continue to grow, develop, get better.”
Walker pointed at his ball handling as something that has improved. During his exit meeting with Pacers coaches and the front office, he was asked to get better at defense and rebounding, two things Indiana desperately needs on the roster. “Do little things better too,” the young forward recalled of that meeting.
“It was just a lot of learning. A lot of picking up concepts, learning things about the league. Language, terminology,” Walker said of his first NBA season. “I feel like it was a good preparatory year for my second year coming up.”
Year two is important for almost every young player, which is something that Pacers summer league head coach Jannero Pargo noted on Saturday. “It’s a big growth period from year one to year two,” he said. Pargo added that Walker’s communication has been much better this season and that he’s more knowledgeable across the board.
“Now, he understands defense. He understands offense. He understands concepts,” Pargo said. “He’s not just yelling and talking, he’s talking with a purpose. And he’s helping his teammates.”
While the summer league sideline leader did note that the modern NBA is effectively positionless, he said that Walker is starting at the three position with the summer league squad. That is a possibility because of Walker’s improved shooting — his foot speed allows him to stay in front of almost any matchup, but he will be on the perimeter more offensively as a wing.
There have been hints that Walker would play on the wing more going forward. The front office has shared opinions on how he could fit in the role, and Walker even slotted to the spot during his rookie season at times. While he is a natural four man who has the bulk to slide up to the five, Indiana wants to see him at even more positions.
At small forward, Walker thinks he’ll be able to run the floor well and cause chaos, in a good way, on offense. The Pacers describe their offense as random, so that is a productive role in the blue and gold’s system. When going into more detail about what that will look like, Walker mentioned several different types of screens and cuts.
He’s ready to be a small forward in summer league. And if it works well, it could lead to more opportunities during the regular season with the Pacers. “I feel like continuing to crash. Always be a presence on the boards. And also staying in front of smaller guards,” Walked said of the keys to playing the three spot. He knows that moving his feet on defense will be critical, and he’s been getting better at that.
It’s an important season for Jarace Walker. The Pacers would love to see him get better and be a rotation mainstay, and Walker certainly wants that too. Long term, his player type is an important missing piece on the blue and gold. If Walker is going to have a successful second season, it’s all going to start at summer league.
Indiana
Man shot by security guard in hospital emergency room waiting area in Gary, Indiana
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
Indiana
Indiana A.G. finishes Karl King Tower investigation, finalizes compliance order
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — The Indiana Attorney General has finished its investigation into Karl King Tower and issued a compliance order.
This is coming after a months-long investigation into the unsafe living conditions for residents at the apartments.
From December 2025 to January 2026, there were prolonged failures with the heating and a lack of heat for residents during winter conditions at Karl King.
The property owner provided a 20% rent credit for affected tenants and documentation related to health and safety issues.
Below is the agreement from the Attorney General:
- The owner must complete boiler and heating system improvements by September 30.
- The property is subject to a monitoring period for multiple years.
- The owner needs to provide on-site security, including cameras in common areas and monthly incident reports.
- The building needs an on-site property manager to address resident concerns.
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The Attorney General has the authority to inspect the property and enforce compliance if commitments aren’t met.
Indiana
Indiana Baseball Series Preview Against Illinois
It’s been a rough season for the Indiana baseball team, but the Hoosiers have one more shot to finish the season on a high note against Illinois this week.
Indiana (21-30, 7-20) has lost five straight contests and failed to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament after finishing outside the top 12 in the Big Ten, meaning Saturday’s game against the Illini will be the Hoosiers’ last.
And that may very well be the biggest surprise in all of the Big Ten, considering IU won 33+ games each of the last two years and finished above .500 in Big Ten play each of the last three seasons.
About Indiana
Indiana’s disappointing season is almost over after getting swept by in-state rival Purdue over the weekend. IU has lost four straight Big Ten series and hasn’t won a series in nearly a month.
Regardless of who is playing well and who’s not, don’t be surprised if the majority of the seniors get to play this weekend.
That probably wouldn’t be the case if Indiana were still able to qualify for the Big Ten Tourney, but with that out of the equation, expect to see the guys who might not ever play another competitive game of baseball get to see the field one last time.
The Hoosiers’ best pitcher is southpaw Tony Neubeck, who leads the team in wins, starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. Neubeck has recorded back-to-back quality starts and could very well hear his name called in this June’s MLB Draft.
Offensively, the Hoosiers have proven they can score some runs, and despite getting swept last week, scored 21 runs against Purdue. IU’s top hitter is Jake Hanley, who leads Indiana’s offense in at-bats, hits, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and walks.
About Illinois
Unlike Indiana, no matter what happens this week for Illinois, the Illini are automatically a lock for the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois might rest some of its everyday players who have played a lot and have some of its top arms on pitch counts, but outside of that, expect the Illini to play this series like it’s their last.
Illinois still has a chance to move up a spot in the Big Ten, and there’s no denying the fact that seeding matters.
Illinois (27-23, 13-14) has won five in a row but has struggled on the road this season, especially in Big Ten play.
Still, though, Illinois has a couple of solid relievers — Sam Mommer and Sam Reed — and has an ace in Aidan Flinn.
Offensively, the Illini are inconsistent but did manage to score 26 runs in three games against Northwestern and have a couple of power hitters in AJ Putty and Collin Jennings.
Series Schedule
Thursday, May 14th (6 p.m. ET)
Friday, May 15h (6 p.m. ET)
Saturday, May 16th (2 p.m. ET)
All three games are available to watch via the Big Ten Network Plus (BIG+).
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