In a recent chat with the media, Pacers star Tyrese Hlauburton opened up on a wide range of topics from life, to the NBA, and his current stint on Team USA. He also spoke on what it’s like to be a target as a young player coming up in the league.
“I think the NBA is at an interesting point because obviously we still got the top dogs—LeBron, KD, Steph, those guys—but we’re not far off from, I hate how ‘passing the torch’ sounds, but there’s a lot of young guys who are establishing themselves, me included,” Haliburton said, via GQ Sports. “And so it’s a lot of different guys gunning for different positions and different statures within the league. So I’m gonna get everybody’s best shot every night.”
“So I think that’s kind of interesting part: the young guys are gunning for me, because they want what I have. And the older guys, as they should, are also coming for me because they want to keep it established that this is still their league. So that’s kind of the fun part of being in the middle.”
At just 24 years old, Haliburton is still new to the fold but he’s managed a lot in just four years of action. The 2x All-Star has become the face and leader of the Indiana Pacers. Last season, his best on eyet, he averaged 20.1 points, a league-leading 10.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 47% shooting.
His ball-handling and court vision opened up the floor for the Pacers and allowed players like Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard, and Buddy Hield (now with the Warriors) to thrive offensively. His impact helped put the Pacers on the map and make the final round of the inaugural in-season tournament.
It’s not every day that a player so young and inexperienced has so much success early on, especially for a team that nobody was prepared for. Naturally, his success has made him a primary target for his competitors, both young and old alike.
While the Pacers did make the East Conference Finals last season, they still have a lot to prove in the eyes of most fans and critics. Haliburton has shown that he’s a capable leader both on and off the court and his skills with the ball are unmatched compared to even the top point guards in the game.
But until Haliburton leads the Pacers to the Finals or wins a championship he’ll always be perceived as an underdog in the league. Between his awkward-looking jumper and questions about his abilities on defense, there are still countless individuals who are not yet sold on his status as one of the game’s future superstars.
It will be up to Hali to prove them wrong and show the world that he. can live up to the hype. Even with the league’s best and brightest constantly comping after him, Haliburton has managed to separate himself from his peers and that’s the recipe for a long and successful career in the NBA.
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