Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best point guards in the NBA at this moment and it turns out one of the keys to his success is playing video games. During an interview with The Ringer, Haliburton spoke about how NBA 2K has helped his game.
“Honestly, a lot of my hoop knowledge in knowing how to play comes from video games,” Haliburton said. “When you’re playing 2K and you’re on that camera angle where you can see everything ahead of you, that’s how I think sometimes.”
Depending on how seriously you play these games, you can end up learning quite a bit. Haliburton certainly took it seriously back in the day and continues to now as well, as he fairly regularly hosts NBA 2K livestreams. It has benefited him on the court, but he’s not the only one.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Stated That NBA 2K Helped Him Become An Elite Shot-Blocker
Just like how the game has helped a playmaker like Haliburton, it has helped a defensive stalwart like Jaren Jackson Jr. as well. The Memphis Grizzlies big man had led the league in blocks per game in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and Jackson explained how NBA 2K made him an elite shot-blocker.
“I feel like I get my timing from 2K and I’m being serious,” Jackson Jr. told Paul George on Podcast P when asked about his shot-blocking.
“When I started picking my spots better, I would just wall up and at the end, I’d find an opportunity to block a shot. Rather than dudes running at me and I just wind up, it doesn’t work like that. It’s all about being patient and waiting till the last moment… They get by you in 2K, you figure out the timing for when to block shots. Yeah.”
Aspiring hoopers might want to spend some time playing 2K, as it has clearly helped two of the best young players in the league a lot. Jackson’s shot-blocking helped him win Defensive Player of the Year last season while Haliburton is currently leading the league in assists per game.
Tyrese Haliburton Has Had An Excellent Start To The Season
Haliburton became an All-Star for the first time in 2022-23 and he’s only gotten better now in this campaign. The 23-year-old is averaging 23.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 12.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc.
The Indiana Pacers had given him a five-year, $260 million extension this summer and it’s safe to say he isn’t taking it easy after getting the bag. Haliburton is just a powerhouse on offense and the scary part is that he is going to get even better as the years go by.
He has already helped them have a league-best offensive rating of 122.0 this season, which is incredible when you consider there are so many other teams that are far more talented than the Pacers. It just speaks to how special Haliburton is on the offensive end.
There are some shortcomings on the defensive end, though, for him and the Pacers, which is why they are only 6-4 at this point. I can see this team making the playoffs if they keep this up but if they want to make any noise in the postseason, they’re going to have to make some moves to improve on the defensive end.
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