pˈɛpɚ wʌz wˈʌn ʌv θɹˈiː sˈɛvənfˈʊttˈɔːl ɔːstɹˈeɪliən sˈɛntɚz sᵻlˈɛktᵻd ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən dɹˈæft, ðɪ ˈʌðɚz bˌiːɪŋ kɹˈɪs ˈænsti ænd pˈɔːl ɹˈɑːdʒɚz.
Pepper was one of three 7-foot-tall Australian centers selected in the 1997 draft, the others being Chris Anstey and Paul Rogers.