Against all odds | Russellville native picked in NBA draft

Against all odds | Russellville native picked in NBA draft

Not many saw it coming. 

A hometown kid from Russellville, Arkansas, who played the majority of his college career in the Division II ranks at Arkansas Tech, is now set to play at the highest level of basketball.

"Back in the day when I was running around the streets of Russellville, if you would have told them that this kid would have been in the NBA, they probably would have laughed at you," Russellville native and new NBA draft pick, Taelon Peter, said.

On Thursday, June 26, it wasn't laughing but pure excitement that went through the town of Russellville. The hometown kid, Peter, had just been selected as the 54th pick of the NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.

"I was on the phone with my guy, Ryan Carr from the Indiana Pacers, and he asked me if I wanted to be a Pacer, and I said 'absolutely'," Peter described. "The family went bonkers, jumping up and down, screaming, jumping, yelling -- it was a moment I'll remember forever."

It was a special moment, a part of a much larger journey for a kid who began his career as a Cyclone at Russellville High School.

“Back in high school, I knew that he was an elite athlete," his high school coach, Kyle Pennington, said. "But I think making it to the NBA, the percentages, you can go look those up, it's hard to do. He's really trusted in God and believed in himself, and then has worked really, really hard for his dreams to come true, and that's happened.”

But just because Peter got to this point doesn't mean it was necessarily expected. 

He was left off of all the major mock drafts and wasn't included on ESPN's top 100 list. Peter also wasn't at the NBA combine, but being overlooked is something Peter said he's used to.

“It's been like that my whole life. I'm used to being in this position where they don't know me when I step on the court. But they'll never forget me when I step off the court," he described.

So, if not many thought he'd get drafted, then why did he get drafted in the first place? 

“You're going to get a guy that can really shoot the basketball at a very high efficient level,” Pennington said. "He's going to be able to defend, he's going to be a slasher and be able to make plays in transition as well -- that's been a strong suit of his since he was young."

“I'm a very sneaky athlete," Peter said. "If you're not aware or if you think it's going to be sweet when we're going at the basket, you can have another thing coming for you real quick.”

The highlights of Peter certainly speak for themselves. He is an athlete and one who will always remember his roots.

“I know, probably back then, nobody saw it getting to this point, but because they all supported me, not knowing that this was going to be the outcome. I would say that this is for them, for sticking with me and cheering me on this whole way. I'm glad that I can do this and share this with the city," Peter said.

Peter will head to Indianapolis on Sunday to join his new team.