Pacers take Hansbrough in first round[25 Jun 2009]By Cliff Brunt, AP Sports WriterINDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird usually doesn't let too much information out before the NBA draft.Still, he couldn't hide his respect for North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, even saying he hoped the forward would be available when the Pacers were ready to make the 13th pick Thursday night."I think he's going to be a good one." Bird said earlier in the week. "They have picked on Tyler for four years, but all he's ever done is won. I like to watch him play."Bird backed up his words with action by making Hansbrough a key part of his rebuilding effort, hoping the hardworking power forward brings a winning attitude to the struggling Pacers. Indiana has missed the playoffs the past three years.Hansbrough led North Carolina to the NCAA title this past season, and The Associated Press named him its national player of the year in 2008.Bird said Hansbrough was the player he wanted all along."Yep, that's the guy," he said. "We had some point guards we wanted, but we felt if Ty was there, we had to take him. He's a mature four-year guy, great college career."...Hansbrough, the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time leading scorer, is best known for his intensity. He lost a contact lens and got a bloody nose during a workout in Indianapolis this month.But he's more than a tough player. He averaged 22.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game as a junior, then averaged 20.7 points and 8.1 rebounds as a senior. He shot better than 50 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line both seasons."He's got good mechanics, he's very well-rounded," Bird said. "He scored in college, he'll score in the league."...Hansbrough knows he has doubters."There's nothing to it but to prove some people wrong," he said. "At the same time, the way I look at it is, people didn't think I was going to be a very good college player, and I was successful in college."...
Don't worry. Mike Dunleavy and Josh McRoberts will take good care of him in Indy.
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