One day before his workout — his first pre-draft workout for any NBA team — Jabril Trawick had a phone conversation with veteran Roy Hibbert. The Pacers’ center isn’t around, instead opting to go west to Los Angeles for the summer.
Trawick was a four-year guard at Georgetown University, Hibbert’s alma mater where he visits as much as he can. Last summer, Hibbert pledged to donate $1 million to help fund a new athletics center.
One piece of advice Hibbert, the 17th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, shared with Trawick was to dress for the occasion.
Pacers held their second pre-draft workout on Tuesday and it was heavy on guards.
“He told me to wear a suit,” Trawick, who averaged 9.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists his senior season, said Tuesday afternoon.
(It was too late, however, by that time and so he did not travel to Indy with a suit.)
At Georgetown, it’s a tradition for the players to dress up on game day. Make no mistake, team executives are aware of everything so yes, business attire does leave a mark — a very positive one. (Oregon’s Joseph Young impressed when he did so last week.)
“Roy has been really helpful,” Trawick continued. “I talk to Roy a lot. He’s a big brother to me so we stay in contact often.
“He also told me to go hard, and to be myself. Go in there, play hard, and whoever I match up against, try to kill him.”
Trawick — who was brought in Tuesday along with Delon Wright, Marcus Thornton, Pat Connaughton, and Jonathan Holmes, and Hoya Greg Whittington — has work to do to leave an impression on teams. He’s not on the mock drafts or even a list of the Top 100 players.
Like Shayne Whittington, who the Pacers signed in free agency last summer, Trawick attended the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, an outlet for prospects to showcase their game in front of NBA scouts.
“That was my first time to play in front of scouts and I had a pretty good outing,” he said, noting that he played in two games. He had to miss one day and go back to Georgetown for class.
“Whatever way I can get in, that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s kind of hard for seniors nowadays, the way basketball and politics works.”
Pacers President Larry Bird looks on while the six prospects play 3-on-3.
He’s not wrong. The label, warranted or not, is now if you’re still in college after a year or two — and especially all four years — you may not be a pro. If you were, you would have left already.
A lot of that is because of potential. Again, Whittington for example, looks like he’ll be solid player in The Association. If a player proves he can be a nice addition and have some upside, they could get picked up.
A guy like Trawick will have to work harder and do the little things to even catch a break, perhaps in Summer League action.
All in all, the 6-foot-4, 218 pound guard felt positive about his workout in Indy. After stopping for media, he would go through the usual routine of meeting with team officials and then heading to lunch with other staff members, another place for learn more about each individual.
“I’m trying to show that I can play defense, show my overall game,” he said. “I can handle the ball, I can shoot the ball, play hard, play with a lot of energy. Just try to show that I bring a lot to the table and I play to win.
“I learned a lot of new stuff. I just try to take as much away from the workout as possible to go on to my other workouts.”
(My unsolicited advice to all prospects: Update your Twitter and social media accounts to look both presentable and professional.)
UPDATED LIST: Pacers 2015 pre-draft workout attendees