The Indiana Pacers selected Oregon guard Chris Duarte with the 13th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft on Thursday night. A 6-6 guard, Duarte shot 42.4 percent from 3-point range as a senior at Oregon, where he was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and an All-American after averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.9 steals.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, the 24-year-old came to the United States in high school and spent two years in junior college before enrolling in Oregon in 2019. After receiving a green room invite shortly before his July 21 workout in Indiana, Duarte reflected on his journey.