Pacers take a look at point guard and power forward during draft workout

In the weeks leading to the NBA Draft, every prospect has an angle.

Delon Wright, a four-year player from Utah, wants to prove that he is in fact a pure point guard. Before June 25, Jonathan Holmes wishes to show that, at 6-9 and 240 pounds, he can move well enough to defend multiple positions. And Pat Connaughton needs team executives to take him seriously when he talks about his commitment to the NBA over a burgeoning baseball career.

On Tuesday, these players, along with three others, participated in a workout with the Indiana Pacers.

"It was up. We're fighting for a job," said Wright, who finished his college career at Utah and has been projected as a late first-round draft pick. "So guys are really intense and physical and playing really hard."

Wright has the 6-5, 181-pound frame of someone who can play both positions in the backcourt. The words "combo guard" have preceded his name in many reports – which should be a fine selling point in today's NBA landscape. However, Wright, who averaged 5.2 assists in his career, prefers leading the floor as the point guard.

"Offensively, I'm a one (guard)," said Wright, though he can defend the two spot. "I'm better in a team setting rather than 1-on-1 type but I just have to show that I can play 1-on-1 if I have to."

Near the end of Tuesday's halfcourt scrimmage, Holmes drove the lane as Georgetown's Greg Whittington reached out and inadvertently wrapped his arm around Holmes' neck. So, Holmes showed that he could play through physicality but in his first NBA workout, he also wanted to display other specific details.

"I need to be more consistent with my shot and being able to defend multiple positions would help me out a lot," Holmes said. "Trying to prove that and just showing that I can handle the ball."

Several weeks ago at the NBA combine, Holmes, a four-year power forward from Texas, helped himself in spot-up shooting drills by making 4-of-5 from the top of the 3-point arc and hitting with the same accuracy from the left break.

Holmes has at least four more workouts scheduled over the next two weeks and if his draft stock rises during that time (he's currently projected as No. 35 by DraftExpress), then he doesn't want to know.

"People around me, if they're looking at it, I tell them don't tell me because I can't control any of that," Holmes said. "It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. (All that) matters is what the people out here think and how I could fit in with the teams, so that's all I'm trying to do."

The opinion of general managers also concerns Connaughton. Though in his senior season with Notre Dame, Connaughton averaged 12.5 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds, he also was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles last year. Over the next month, Connaughton has to demonstrate that basketball is more than just a Plan B.

"For me, I'm all basketball until I don't make an NBA roster," he said. "I don't think I'll go overseas to pursue it when I could play baseball here. Until I don't make an NBA roster, that's where I stand. Just a matter of getting NBA executives to believe me, shall we say.

"I love both, don't get me wrong. I've been playing both of them since I was a kid," Connaughton continued. "When I look at it from the perspective with my life, I'd be kicking myself if I went straight to baseball because it was the quote-unquote easier path. … I'll give it 100 percent until basketball runs out and make a decision after that."

Call Star reporter Candace Buckner at (317) 444-6121. Follow her on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.