English signs free-agent contract with Pacers

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers signed University of Hawai'i rookie guard Carl English to a free-agent contract today.

English, who left the Rainbows this year after his junior season, averaged 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 94 games.

The 6-foot-5 English was named to the Western Athletic Conference first team for the 2002-03 season.

English declared for early entry into the NBA Draft, but was not among the 58 players selected in the June 26 draft.

He has been in Indianapolis this past week, practicing with the Pacers. He will play for the Indiana/Philadelphia split squad in the Rocky Mountain Revue, an NBA summer league that will start Sunday at Salt Lake City.

"I was pretty confident. (The draft) was just a minor setback and I knew if I played the way I had been playing, someone was bound to pick me up. It was just a matter of who and when," said English, just before boarding a plane for Salt Lake City to play with the Pacers in the Rocky Mountain Revue Summer League.

"Indiana is a great place. I love the team, and the management there made me feel at home," English said in a story by the Canadian Press. "I think it will be a great situation for me."

The 22-year-old guard is the first native of Newfoundland, Canada, to sign an NBA contract.

"The Pacers are excited to have Carl join the organization," Donnie Walsh, chief executive officer of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, said in a written statement. "We followed Carl's college career and are confident he has the skills to become a valuable member of our team."

As for English's role on the Pacers, the player said that's up to him.

"It's only a matter of how hard you work," English said. "If I get in there and bust my ass every day, I think I'll have a chance to go out there and prove myself. I'm just staying positive and doing the things I've been doing, and hopefully I'll get my time to play."

English joins a talented young team that finished 48-34 and lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs last season. Earlier in the week, the team re-signed all-star centre Jermaine O'Neal, who new president of basketball operations Larry Bird referred to as the cornerstone of the franchise.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.