Indiana Pacers: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

Apr 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; iIndiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

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6. Dale Davis (PF/C) – No. 13 pick in 1991 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Pacers): 671 GP, 9.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 0.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.2 TOV, 54.3 FG%, 53.1 FT%

Going into the 1991 NBA Draft, the Pacers were looking to add defense, rebounding and toughness to their lineup — and they found all three when they chose power forward/center Dale Davis from Clemson.

Davis was offensively-challenged, but he brought a lot to the table despite that. He set the tone for Indiana’s teams of the 1990s, balancing the shooting prowess of Reggie Miller with the intangibles that all winning teams need.

On the offensive end of the court, Dale Davis was a screen-setter and a finisher off the lob, but he never developed post moves or a midrange shot to speak of.

What Dale Davis did do was what made him special. He was fierce on the glass, and he was a physical defensive player and a good shot-blocker.

Davis was a perfect complement to a player like Rik Smits, who was a skilled offensive player, but was lacking in most of the areas in which Dale Davis excelled.

Many observers at the time felt that Indiana “reached” by choosing a non-scorer like Davis with the 13th overall pick, but “D-Squared” proved to everyone just how valuable a tough blue collar player could be to an NBA team.

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