Semi Ojeleye was part of the second group of six the Pacers brought in for a pre-draft workout. Ojeleye said they went through a lot of “high competition stuff,” battling one another and going through the team’s actions. Then, they wanted to see how the players would fight through fatigue when putting up shots.
Ojeleye, who’s 22 years old, spent his first two seasons at Duke and then transferred to SMU for the 2016-17 season. With the Mustangs, who went 30-5, he averaged a team-high 19 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He shot 48.7 percent from the floor, including 42.4 percent from outside.
“It was good to find myself off the court,” he said of sitting out the 2015-16 season. “I think having to bounce back let me know that no matter what happens in the future, I’ll be all right.
“I think the biggest thing is learning how to deal with stress.”
Ojeleye says looks up to LeBron James’ leadership, Draymond Green’s intensity, and Jae Crowder’s versatility. After playing the four in college, he expects to make the transition to small forward in the pros.
Watch what Ojeleye had to say following his workout below: