On the first night of the NBA All-Star Weekend, during the Rising Stars Challenge, things appeared to get heated between Indiana Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin and Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey during the clash between Team Jalen Rose and Team Tamika Catchings.
Mathurin, in particular, was the one who stirred the pot. It was the Pacers wing who engaged in banter, telling the Pistons guard that he can't guard him in what appeared to be a playful manner, as Mathurin was smiling when he said it. However, it seemed as though Mathurin got into Ivey's head, as the Pistons wing decided to faceguard Mathurin all the way to the charity stripe even though the Pacers wing was set to take two freebies.
"Even in Rising Stars, you can't guard me."
Bennedict Mathurin to Jaden Ivey 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/eJUKlLIz1I
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 17, 2024
But for Bennedict Mathurin, as playful as his banter with Jaden Ivey might have been, seeing the Pistons guard on the court is always a reminder of what he can do to be a better basketball player. After all, the Pistons took Ivey with the fifth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, exactly one pick before the Pacers selected Mathurin.
“He’s a great player. I love playing against him. My challenge is to always bring my best against him. You know he was drafted ahead of me. The thing is, I feel like he brings the best out of me every time we compete against each other,” Mathurin told Jamal Crawford, Candace Parker, and the rest of the TNT booth after winning MVP honors for the Rising Stars Challenge, via Alex Golden of Setting the Pace.
Bennedict Mathurin on the Jaden Ivey rivalry:
“He’s a great player. I love playing against him. My challenge is to always bring my best against him. You know he was drafted ahead of me. The thing is, I feel like he brings the best out of me every time we compete against each… pic.twitter.com/jHyYU2LFSE
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) February 17, 2024
It is nothing but a friendly competition for the Pacers wing. But make no mistake about it, he is always reminded of the chip on his shoulder whenever he sees Jaden Ivey. That may be nothing but a good thing for Bennedict Mathurin as his path to a bigger role in Indiana couldn't be any clearer following the departure of Buddy Hield.
“So, there’s no hate. He’s a great guy, he’s a great player, and he’s gonna have a great career. But, every time I’m playing against him, I have that in me.”
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