In the 2020 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings drafted Iowa State standout Tyrese Haliburton. Now, over two years later, Hali is preparing for his first game back in Golden 1 Center as a member of the Indiana Pacers.
It’s an opportunity for both the Kings and Haliburton to reflect on their past and how far they’ve come since the big trade. While Tyrese has been open about how much his exit from the Kings hurt, the young point guard has found a home in Indiana, where he is blossoming into a star.
Speaking on Haliburton and his success as a Pacer, former Kings guard Bobby Jackson explained why he’s not your typical NBA young guy.
Tyrese Haliburton is set to make his return to Sacramento tonight!
🏀 Former #Kings Point Guard and Coach @thebobbyjackson explains what makes him so special.@RickKamlaSports | @adaniels33 pic.twitter.com/Ugb877hy6h
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) November 30, 2022
“I think he’s grown. I think he’s grown tremendously. Tremendous guy to have in the locker room. Tremendous guy to lead your team. But I think the number one thing is, the guys love him. His teammates love him. He comes in with the right attitude, and professionalism, and works hard every single day. And I’m not surprised that he’s leading the league in assists because is IQ for the game is really higher than a lot of guys in this league.”
Jackson also spoke about the Kings as a team and about their upcoming matchup against the red-hot Pacers.
“This will be a great game,” Jackson said, looking ahead. “They came back from down 17, so this [Pacers] is a no-quit team. We have to find our groove again on our side as the Sacramento Kings. We struggled the last 3 or 4 games and so we just have to find our identity again, continue to play with force, play with speed and pace, and move the ball, and I think we’re starting to figure it out on the defensive side of the ball.”
Tyrese Haliburton Is Thriving In His New NBA Home
Tyrese has only been a Pacer for 46 games, but it seems he has found a long-term home in the league. He has absolutely excelled in Indiana so far and is averaging 19.9 points per game and a career-high 11.3 assists.
According to Tyrese himself, the trade from Sac-Town was the best thing for his career.
“I had an immature view of things when I got traded. I was very frustrated, mad at the whole Kings organization, mad at the world. I felt like, looking back on it months later it’s probably one of the best things that could have happened for my career. It’s accelerated that process where I wanna be, which is a leader, and I get that chance here and I’m really excited about it.”
Tyrese Haliburton is more than a starting point guard. He’s a leader, a chemistry-builder, and the type of winning player, any team would be lucky to have.
His impact has been felt on the Pacers this season, who are shocking the world at 12-8. We will see what the future has in store for this kid, but he seems to be in a solid position.
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