The Indiana Pacers have fallen far from where they used to be. With Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert, and Danny Granger, the Pacers were once a force in the East and even threatened the Miami Heat’s ‘big three’ at the height of their powers.
Today, they are in a full-on rebuild that could take years to expose progress.
While it’s a grueling experience for Pacers fans, there is one player they can cling to in all of this: young stud Tyrese Haliburton, who was acquired last season as part of a trade with the Kings.
Hali is still inexperienced and unproven, but his natural skill and expertise at the game set him apart from the field and have positioned him to be the face of the Pacers franchise moving forward.
In a recent chat with Basketball News, he revealed his feelings on that reality.
“That’s so funny. It’s so funny just hearing you say that,” Haliburton said. “The way I look at it, that’s not for me to decide. I guess that’s more for fans and media to decide who that is, and if people say it’s me, I guess I understand. As a kid, I would’ve f****n’ killed for this, so it’s fun to be a part of,” Haliburton said. “And at the end of the day, it’s just basketball. And the things in life that come with it, I’m just gonna be who I am and share my values on certain things… I just take it naturally and have fun with it. It’s a great opportunity for me.”
While Haliburton and the Pacers continue to be dismissed and overlooked, Haliburton is ready to prove all the doubters wrong. It may take some time for the Pacers to get a team together, but they could be dangerous once they get their young star some more help.
Either way, Haliburton is all-in on the Pacers and has no intention of putting out anything but his best.
