After a few practices in training camp, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Micah Peavy is among the players who have had a productive start on the court, head coach Willie Green said.
Peavy was the 40th pick in the draft after averaging 17.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals on 40% shooting from 3-point range as a fifth-year senior at Georgetown. He was named to the All-Big East first team, ranking 15th in the country in steals.
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The 6-foot-7 forward was highly touted because of his ability to impact games on both ends of the court, particularly on defense. Those traits have stood out early to Green.
“He fits sort of our core characteristics of how we want to play,” Green said on Friday. “He is, number one, a high-character young man. It starts with that. On the floor, he is extremely competitive. He brings toughness. He is a good defender. He is smart, makes the right plays offensively; doesn’t hurt you at all.”
Peavy was limited to two appearances with the Pelicans in summer league, averaging 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals on 46.2% shooting from the field. He recorded 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals in his debut on July 10.
The 24-year-old spent much of the offseason near the team practice facility, working out with his new teammates. He believes those sessions have helped him learn the system and grow as a player after focusing on his 3-point shooting.
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Peavy is a part of a full draft class for the Pelicans, along with Jeremiah Fears (seventh pick) and Derik Queen (13th pick). He hasn’t necessarily generated as much attention as they have as a second-round pick, but the Texas native has caught the eye of Green.
“He may be flying under the radar (compared to the lottery picks), but not in practices,” Green said. “He is standing out big time. He is one of our guys who is doing really well.”
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Pelicans news: Micah Peavy is drawing rave reviews in training camp