Noblesville Boom selects Maleeck Harden-Hayes & Austin Benigni in 2026 NBA G League Draft

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The Noblesville Boom, the NBA G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, selected forward Maleeck Harden-Hayes with the No. 19 overall pick and guard Austin Benigni with the No. 53 overall selection in the 2026 NBA G League Draft, the team announced on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Harden-Hayes, a 6-foot-7 forward from Moorhead, Minn., spent the past two seasons playing overseas with Sporting CP (2025-26) and AD Galomar (2024-25) in Portugal. During his time with Sporting CP, he averaged 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 44.6 percent from the field in 30.6 minutes across 39 games. A season earlier with AD Galomar, he appeared in 17 games and averaged 15.0 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three-point range. Prior to his professional career, Harden-Hayes appeared in 134 games at North Dakota State and UNC Wilmington, averaging 7.3 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 45.7 percent from the field.

Benigni, a 5-foot-10 guard from The Woodlands, Texas, recently concluded a four-year collegiate career at Navy, where he appeared in 130 games and averaged 14.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from 3-point range. Benigni finished his career ranked among the top 20 in six statistical categories in program history, ranking third in points (1,923), fourth in assists (483), third in games scoring in double figures (94) and first in games played (130), free throws made (618) and free-throw percentage (86.2 percent). He also earned several honors during his collegiate career, including Patriot League Player of the Year in 2026 and the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award in 2026.

About Noblesville Boom
The Noblesville Boom are the NBA G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers. The franchise enters its 20th season and has been part of Pacers Sports & Entertainment since 2015. The club plays its home games in Noblesville at Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile. Fans can visit NoblesvilleBoom.com to get more information, sign up for email updates, and purchase tickets.