Indianapolis ? Third-year Indiana Pacers guard Brandon Rush, who was handed a five-game suspension by the NBA league office this offseason for testing positive for marijuana for a third time, admitted at Pacers’ Media Day that he “messed up pretty bad.”

Rush told the Indianapolis Star that the issues that led to the three failed tests are behind him.

“I’m making a lot of changes in my life,” former Kansas University standout Rush told the Indy Star. “I’m moving away from people I used to kick it with all the time and just getting my mind right. You only get one shot at this, and I know I messed up pretty bad.”

Rush was asked directly if he had a drug problem.

“No. I don’t think I have a problem at all,” said Rush, who averaged 9.4 points a game his second season in the league.

He said he was going to change his lifestyle, including some of the individuals he associates with.

“It’s real tough. I’ve been knowing my friends for a long time. But it’s that time. When I made this mistake, it’s time to move on to be a grown man,” he told the Star.

Rush started 64 games last season.

“I think I’ll be in the doghouse for a while,” he said. “The way (Pacers coach Jim O’Brien) plays, whoever is the hot hand, he’s going to play. I’ve been working on my game this whole summer. I’m going to continue to do that throughout my suspension and go out there and make a point.”