In an interview with Taylor Rooks, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton revealed his line of thinking during the 2020 NBA Draft. According to the All-Star point guard, things got personal as teams were passing him up and he could hardly believe it when the Detroit Pistons (who desperately needed a floor general) decided against picking up a young guy who would have been the perfect fit for them.
“With the Pistons, I knew they needed a point guard. I already felt like I was the best point guard in the draft because on ESPN it has like, the top players available. One, two, and three were Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball. So after that, I’m the No. 1 best available and every pick after that it’s panning to the camera in my room…. flashed up Killian Hayes and I’m like, ‘What?’ In the moment I was just angry I was like, ‘They need a point guard and they are not picking me?’ So that one definitely felt the most personal, no question.”
Haliburton was watching in disbelief as his name kept slipping further and further down the board. By the time the Pistons picked at No. 7, Haliburton was certain he’d finally hear his name called… until they picked Killian Hayes instead.
It wouldn’t be until 13 that Tyrese wold finally be taken by the Sacramento Kings, where he almost immediately flashed his star potential. He averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game during his rookie campaign and has steadily raised those numbers in each following season.
Of course, being denied at the draft isn’t the only thing that Haliburton can use as motivation fuel. He was on the Kings for less than two seasons before he was traded from the franchise in a blockbuster deal involving Domantas Sabonis.
Haliburton Was Shocked When The Kings Traded Him To Indiana In 2022
By the halfway point of his sophomore season, Haliburton was already proving to be a potential franchise centerpiece and he had embraced a career with the Kings. Averaging 15.3 points and 8.2 assists per game in a crowded backcourt was impressive enough for Haliburton but it was his playmaking and ball control on the court that really set him apart from the rest.
But before Tyrese could establish himself as an untradeable asset, the Kings went out and swapped him in a deal for Domantas Sabonis. Without warning and against the advice of many experts/analysts, the Kings shipped their young point guard out to build around De’Aaron Fox — and it’s a move that remains controversial to this day.
According to Haliburton, he was devastated by the trade and saw it as a betrayal by the franchise he had grown an attachment to. As Tyrese begrudgingly left the Kings behind, fans ridiculed the franchise for turning their backs on the rising young prospect.
Years later, the Kings look like bigger fools by the day for giving him up, and so do all the teams who passed him up on draft day. Love him or hate him, Halibuton is undoubtedly one of the best guards in the game right now and he’s playing like he’s got everything to prove.
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