With their successful journey to the final of the NBA Tournament, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers revealed themselves to the general public. The Pacers playmaker was certainly already an All-Star, but his performances were even more scrutinized and appreciated. He confirmed his place among the stars of the league.
To the point of giving rise to regrets in Bob Myers, who spoke during the Tournament, recalling that the Warriors had thought of drafting Tyrese Haliburton in 2020.
“The workout was very close to Las Vegas. There was Steve Kerr, Joe Lacob and myself”the former Golden State GM remembers on the air. “He took a bunch of shots and we looked at each other and said he could be a good player. »
“He was in one-on-zero, so not in match condition, but he shot well, very well in fact. You could see he was a great shooter.”says Steve Kerr for The Athletic. “It’s probably the best workout of my life”believes Tyrese Haliburton.
Tyrese Haliburton felt his chance was over
The future Kings player, who was seen as a possible new Shaun Livingston in California, will also make a strong impression during the discussion with the manager and coach of the Warriors.
“This conversation struck me with his intelligence and his confidence. There is no pretense, it is not arrogance, it is confidence”explains Bob Myers. “What impressed me the most was the interview,” confirms Steve Kerr. “He was really professional, mature. He loves the sport and talked details about our team. I know people in the franchise, at the advanced stats level, loved him. He was very high on our list. »
Fourth on this list will specify the coach. So Tyrese Haliburton had no illusions. “I understood that there was no chance that I would be chosen second”he assures.
With their second Draft choice, the Warriors will indeed bet on James Wiseman. The interior then disappointed a lot, before being transferred to Detroit where it still has not exploded. But with his potential and his physique, he represented a very interesting option for Golden State, which lacked impact under the circle.
“I was disappointed to see the Warriors in second place because I think if they had a pick outside of the Top 3, I could have been theirs,” insists the Pacers All-Star.
A mistake for the Warriors who are usually well inspired in the Draft
No regrets on the Golden State side? “Everyone has stories like that at the Draft. We think about potential and talent…”, Steve Kerr justifies himself. “It’s like with quarterbacks in the NFL. This is why high Draft picks don't work, because there is a lot of speculation. That's the nature of this sport. »
To defend what looks like an error, the coach recalls that the Warriors have had their noses several times, with Stephen Curry, 7th in 2009, Klay Thompson, 11th in 2011 and Draymond Green, downright 35th in 2012.
“I have no resentment towards them, but yes, it would have been a good thing,” concludes the player, imagining his arrival at Golden State. “But they won the title in 2022 so I'm sure they don't regret it too much. »
| Tyrese Haliburton | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | BAG | 58 | 30 | 47.2 | 40.9 | 85.7 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 13.0 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 77 | 35 | 47.3 | 41.4 | 84.2 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 8.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 15.3 |
| 2021-22 * | BAG | 51 | 34 | 45.7 | 41.3 | 83.7 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 14.3 |
| 2021-22 * | IND | 26 | 36 | 50.2 | 41.6 | 84.9 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 9.6 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 17.5 |
| 2022-23 | IND | 56 | 34 | 49.0 | 40.0 | 87.1 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 10.5 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 20.7 |
| 2023-24 | IND | 23 | 33 | 50.4 | 42.4 | 87.4 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 12.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 24.7 |
| Total | 213 | 33 | 48.3 | 41.1 | 85.9 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 17.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
