Update: Thursday, 10:57 a.m. — Whittington was recalled not 15 hours after making the drive back and officially being assigned to the Mad Ants due to Ian Mahinmi (sore lower back) being doubtful for Thursday’s game against Toronto.
Pacers forward Shayne Whittington was re-assigned to the team’s D-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Wednesday afternoon.
Whittington remained in Indy for much of last summer to work out.
Whittington made the two-hour drive south on I-69 the day before so that he would be available as an emergency option Tuesday night when the Pacers hosted the Boston Celtics.
Ty Lawson and C.J. Miles did not play, and both Jordan Hill and George Hill were questionable at shootaround. Therefore, Whittington was called up for less than 24 hours.
Whittington, along with rookie Rakeem Christmas, has spent the majority of the season with the Mad Ants. That provides them with a big opportunity to develop and produce on the court rather than sitting the bench with the Pacers.
In 34 games with the Mad Ants this season, Whittington has averaged 12.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.
The second-year big man out of Western Michigan has appeared in four Pacers games — playing a total of 10 minutes — his last being on Feb. 3 against Brooklyn.