"Roy Hibbert knows the skeptics are out there, and he has heard their questions.

Can he stop fouling long enough to become the Indiana Pacers' go-to post player on offense and be an intimidating shot-blocker on defense?

Is the second-year center insulted?

No, just motivated.

Hibbert, the talented but foul-prone center, thinks about it during weight lifting sessions. It's on his mind when he's defending quick perimeter players off pick-and-roll switches. And when he's working with assistant coaches on his offensive game.

"I'm trying to develop into that go-to guy, so when they rely on me, I'm going to give them two points," Hibbert said after the team's first day of summer league practice Thursday at Conseco Fieldhouse. "Everybody says it's going to take time to develop into a defensive presence. I'm going to keep working.

"It's motivation because I can be that 7-2 (Dikembe) Mutumbo-like player that clogs up the middle."

Few question Hibbert's talent -- he had 18 double-figure games in 42 starts last season. But everyone knows he has to stop fouling in order to do more.

Hibbert played 14 minutes per game as a rookie last season. He averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks -- and 3.1 fouls.

"Roy clearly has showed he can score on people in the low post," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "The only reason he didn't score a lot on people in the low post is because he spent so much time in foul trouble. I think everybody in the NBA would agree he's very, very capable of being a low-post presence for us."

The Pacers don't expect Hibbert to become Dwight Howard or Shaquille O'Neal.

But they need him to be a factor for more than three minutes at a time.

They need him to be the final line of defense when opponents attack the rim. They want to dump the ball into him on offense for a strong post move or for one of his developing baby hook shots.

"At some point he has to become the rock for us where we can throw the ball to when we need some points," veteran Jeff Foster said. "Roy is going to have some great games that he wins for us and he'll have some stretches where he struggles. It's part of the ups and downs of a young player. He's going to be fine."

Hibbert's desire to improve has been evident. The self-proclaimed gym rat has spent most of the offseason in Indianapolis working with coaches and strength and conditioning staff."