First-round draft picks Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard sign with Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Pacers announced on Saturday that they have signed first-round draft picks Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.

Walker, a forward, was selected eighth overall by the Washington Wizards and traded for the Pacers’ seventh overall selection, Bilal Coulibaly, a French forward who was teammates with first overall pick Victor Wembanyama.

Walker averaged 11.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game last season as a member of the University of Houston men’s basketball program. He was named the AAC Rookie of the Year.

Meanwhile, Sheppard, a guard from Belmont University, was selected 26th overall in this year’s draft.

Sheppard averaged 18.8 points per game during his senior season at Belmont.

The terms of the contracts were not disclosed, per Pacers policy.