Bennedict Mathurin
NBA Player
Rising above, NBA star, endless inspiration.
About
Bennedict Richard Felder Mathurin is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he was named a consensus second-team All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year after his sophomore season. He was selected by the Pacers with the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2023.
Mathurin is a native of Montreal, Quebec, and grew up playing ice hockey and football as a quarterback. He competed for the Quebec provincial basketball team. In 2018, Mathurin joined the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City, becoming its first Canadian-born player. He committed to playing college basketball for Arizona, choosing the Wildcats over Baylor. He was considered the best Canadian prospect in his class by North Pole Hoops.
On December 11, 2021, Mathurin scored 30 points in a 83–79 win against Illinois. Mathurin won the 2022 Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player after leading the Wildcats to their eight conference tournament title. He was named Pac-12 Player of the Year, the ninth player in Arizona Wildcats history to do so. Following his Sophomore season, Mathurin was voted a consensus second-team All-American, the fifth in Wildcat to make second team and thirtieth All-American in school history. By winning conference player of the year he became the 31st Arizona Wildcat men's basketball player to have his name put into the school's Ring of Honor.
On April 14, 2022, Mathurin declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
Achievements & goals
2022 - present
Mathurin was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2022 NBA draft. He is the first ever player from Montreal to be selected as a lottery pick. He joined the seventh overall pick, Shaedon Sharpe, as the only Canadians drafted in the first round that year. Mathurin was the Pacers' highest pick the franchise has owned since selecting Rik Smits second overall in the 1988 NBA draft. On July 3, 2022, Mathurin signed his rookie contract with the Pacers. On July 8, he made his NBA Summer League debut, recording 23 points and four rebounds in a 96–84 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Ten days later, Mathurin was named to the All-NBA Summer League Second Team, averaging 19.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.
- 2021-22 Season (Sophomore)
Second Team All-American (Consensus) - Pac-12 Player of the Year - Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player - First Team All Pac-12 - Wooden Award All-American - NABC All-DIstrict First Team
Finalist for the John R. Wooden Award ... Naismith Trophy semifinalist ... one of five finalists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award ... ... three-time Pac-12 Player of the Week ... scored 655 points, the ninth-most in a season in Arizona history ... USBWA, ESPN.com, NCAA.com National Player of the Week (Dec. 13) ... named First Team Preseason All Pac-12 by the conference media members ... ranked by CBSSports.com as the 48th-best player in college basketball entering the 2021-22 season.
Summer 2021
Was a member of Canada’s U19 team that took the bronze medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia … in the seven games Canada played, he averaged 28 minutes, 16.1 points (ranked seventh for the tournament) and 4.0 rebounds per game … shot 48.8 percent from the floor for the tournament, the ninth-best percentage of any player in the tournament … one of two players in the tournament to have two games of 30-plus points (Jun Seok Yeo, Korea).
2020-21 Season (Freshman)
Pac-12 All-Freshman Team Named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Jan. 4 … ranked fifth in the Pac-12 and 66th nationally in free throw percentage for all games (84.6) … that free throw percentage ranks second in Arizona history for a freshman, trailing only Salim Stoudamire (90.4) … ranked sixth in the Pac-12 in 3-point field goal percentage for all games (41.8) … his 41.8% from long distance is the seventh-best in Arizona history by a freshman and the best since Lauri Markkanen in 2017 (42.3) … in conference play, he ranked fourth in free throw percentage (86.6), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (42.1) and 15th in 3-point field goals made per game (1.60) … played in all 26 games and made 12 starts … scored in double figures 15 times … had two double-doubles … scored a season-high 31 points on 10 of 12 shooting from the floor – including 6 of 7 from the 3-point line – while also hauling in eight rebounds at Oregon State (1/14).
Prior to Arizona
Attended the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City, Mexico ... a four-star recruit that was ranked in the top 120 in the 2020 class ... Was named an all-star at the Basketball Without Borders Global event in Chicago during 2020 NBA All-Star weekend, where he competed alongside fellow UA signee Azuolas Tubelis.
Social media
Youtube
Instagram
@bennedict
171K Followers
Tiktok
@benedict-mathurin
62K Followers