Nate Taylor

nate.taylor@indystar.com

CHICAGO – During the playoffs last season, Paul George came up with a new mantra. The Pacers were underdogs against the Toronto Raptors. George knew he would have to great – incredible, in fact – to lead the Pacers to second round.

“It’s on me,” George said then.

Living up to those three words, he was a force in the first-round series, he was the star the Pacers needed him to be. Although the Pacers fell in a dramatic Game 7, George left the Air Canada Centre convinced he was ready to accept the responsibility of being an all-encompassing leader —not just the guy who scores the most points and gets most of the spotlight.

No, the Pacers need George to be more vocal, more demonstrative, more willing to lift those alongside him to glory. Roy Hibbert is no longer behind him on defense. The lessons from David West in the locker room are gone. George Hill, his close friend, was traded last month.

George is the last survivor from the roster that reached consecutive Eastern Conference finals a few years ago. With new teammates and a new playing style, George acknowledged Thursday that he has to be the leader for the Pacers to succeed and contend next season.

“I think I’m still young,” George said before his practice with the U.S. men’s Olympic team. “I can carry a team, I feel.”

Every time team president Larry Bird made a move this summer to improve the roster – acquiring veterans in Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson – George was encouraged by the possibility of propelling the Pacers back into the category of elite teams in the NBA.

“I’m glad he’s not letting me waste years,” he said of Bird. “I think Larry and (the rest of the front office) have expressed how bad they want to get back to (the Eastern Conference finals) by these moves this offseason. I’m looking forward to getting us back there. He’s putting talent around me to help me get to what we all want to get accomplish, and that’s a championship.”

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George, by his nature, is more a collaborator than a solo artist. He enjoys dismantling the opposing team’s best perimeter scoring threat with team-oriented defense. He is willing to pass the last-second shot – as he did to Solomon Hill in the pivotal Game 5 of the Raptors’ series. Most huddles before the playoffs last season were not led by George.

George, though, said his demeanor would have to change a bit next season. He will have a new coach in Nate McMillan, a new point guard in Teague and a new offense to learn. That means being more vocal, even if it does not come naturally to George.

“I think day one, I’m setting the tone for what this team needs to be and what this team needs to look like,” he said.

George mentioned he's particularly looking forward to playing with Teague, an Indianapolis native who was an All-Star in 2015.

“I reached out to him, but I’m still waiting for the text back,” George said smiling. “Competing against him, I know he’s tough, so that goes a long way. He knows what it takes and we both know what success is like. It’s just about both of us coming together.”

George’s teammates on the Olympic team believe he is ready to assume such responsibilities with the Pacers. Kyrie Irving said Thursday he expects George to be one of the best players next season, even one of the leading MVP candidates. Draymond Green said he thought George’s transition should be seamless after he gains even more confidence through the Olympics.

“I think he’s already become that guy,” Green said of George being a full-fledged leader. “Just because you have other talent on your team doesn’t mean you’re not a superstar. I think he’s been that.”

Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski has a different perspective of why George appears to be on the verge of true greatness in combining strong performances on the court with impressive leadership skills off the court. Krzyzewski said Bird’s faith in George after the compound fracture in his right leg led to the Pacers’ rapid rebuild.

“I’m not sure an organization could handle that any better in support of everything,” Krzyzewski said. “’The Pacers did and (George) benefited from being in a great organization.”

Last season, especially in the playoffs against the Raptors, built George into the Pacers’ leader. He said as much Thursday as he prepared for his next challenge.

“I’ve been molded all the way up to this point with having great veterans and great guys around me,” he said. “Now, it’s my solo opportunity of really being the leader and really being the locker room voice. I’m really looking forward to it; this is my chance and I’m going to make the heck out of it.

“Like I always say, it’s on me now.”

George questionable for Friday’s game

As the U.S. men’s national team continued to prepare for the Olympics, George was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice at the United Center. He did not run with his teammates in full-court drills during the early portion of the practice that media members were allowed to see.

George sustained a strained left calf during the team’s victory Tuesday against China and did not play in the second half for precautionary reasons. He said Thursday his calf felt fine, but that the odds of him playing in Friday’s exhibition against Venezuela were 50-50.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “We were just being cautious. It was just a little tightness. These are exhibition games, so I want to be ready for Rio. We’re just going to manage it. It’s nothing too serious.”

Call IndyStar reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.

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