Andrew Nembhard becoming a leader is maybe more important than becoming a point guard.

[**Tony East**](https://www.circlecityspin.com/author/tony/)  
02 Jun 2026

INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Nembhard fielded a question from veteran reporter David Aldridge about the difficulty of going out and competing every night after getting so used to winning in the NBA. It was near the end of the 2025-26 season, and the Pacers were... decidedly not winning.

Nembard answered with a focus on his day-to-day processes. He talked about the competitiveness of his team, despite their record. "Bringing that energy every night when the season is getting to the end and we're already out of contention, it's only going to make us better for next season," he said. "Just having that competitive energy when it doesn't really matter."

That last sentence stopped me in my mental tracks. He was right in that the games didn't matter at that point. It was late March and the Pacers were nearly done securing their top-four lottery odds. The key measure of most games was development or knowledge gain. Nembhard, like the rest of the team, was trying to get better. But the season was nearing an end, and everyone could feel it.

By demeanor, Nembhard is more of a lead-by-example guy. But in a challenging season, he found a way to improve the important, unseen parts of being a primary ball handler. He led in other ways.  
Nembhard echoed his teammates at his exit interview when asked about where he believed that he improved this season. "I think I've grown as a leader off the court," he said before pivoting to his on-court advancements.

Some of those: shooting, confidence in more shot creation situations, and ball handling. Those steps forward will no doubt be helpful for the Pacers next season when Tyrese Haliburton returns.

In that way, Nembhard made the most of the Pacers challenging season. He played in 57 games and averaged a career high 31.3 minutes per game. "I think I've always been a guy who tries to lead by example and go out there and show I can compete," Nembhard said. "But I think this year I was put in a position where I had to voice my opinion more, kind of rally the troops in a way."

The on-court grind matters a great deal. Nembhard averaged a career best 7.7 assists per game this season, good for ninth in the NBA. In just the 2026 portion of the regular season, [he was sixth](https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?DateFrom=01/01/2026&DateTo=04/18/2026&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&SeasonType=Playoffs&dir=-1&dir=A&sort=AST&ref=circlecityspin.com) in this stat — ahead of Luka Doncic and James Harden.

That growth will be important. He shot a career-best 36.1% from deep despite taking more difficult attempts than in past seasons. Next year, his passing situations and jump shots will be far easier. In the future, 2026 could be remembered as a crucial year for Nembhard's efficiency.

[Tony East] Debrief: Andrew Nembhard took many steps forward. The intangibles may be most important.