Here is a beforehand unbelievable sentence that turned more and more credible previously 18 months: The Indiana Pacers will play within the NBA Finals for simply the second time ever — and Tyrese Haliburton is the most important cause why.
Although Pacers teammate Pascal Siakam surprisingly received the Japanese Convention MVP award, Haliburton was answerable for essentially the most memorable performances and moments towards the Knicks. His iconic shot (and insta-meme response) in Recreation 1 can be included in NBA playoff hype movies for the following era. Then there’s Haliburton’s Recreation 4 ECF masterpiece: 32 factors, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, 4 steals and 0 turnovers.
Haliburton is the one participant to ever log a stat line that gaudy in NBA historical past. And to do it in an Japanese Convention closing towards a better-seeded group? Legendary efficiency.
Not unhealthy for a man who as soon as careworn about being compelled to take a seat out a yr at Iowa State.
Whereas Haliburton confirmed glimpses of being actually good at ISU from 2018-20, he was clearly not remotely projected to be what he is develop into (a robust case as a top-10 NBA participant in gentle of pushing the Pacers into the Finals). Haliburton’s averaging 18.8 factors, 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds within the 2025 playoffs — all enhancements on his 2024-25 season averages.
Ever since Haliburton’s emergence within the early parts of the 2023-24 season, when unsuspecting Indiana made a run to the In-Season Event championship recreation towards the Lakers, his star-rise was considered as a stunner. And on some degree, it undoubtedly has been. However school hoops ball-knowers will keep in mind the thin scorer as an effectivity monster in his two seasons at Iowa State. Haliburton’s taken what he did as a Cyclone and spun it right into a mutant superpower as a professional.
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In 2016, Iowa State assistant Neill Berry noticed a wiggly, rawboned child with easy glide at an Atlanta-based grassroots event. It was the summer season going into Haliburton’s junior yr of highschool. It was additionally Berry’s first yr on the street at Iowa State.
“Tiny,” Berry instructed CBS Sports activities about how he remembers first seeing Haliburton. “From a physicality standpoint. … Again then it was an excellent decrease (shot) launch however he would simply bomb them in.”
At the moment, mid-major Northern Iowa was means forward of everybody else in Haliburton’s recruitment. Finally, Cyclones head coach Steve Prohm went to observe. Two minutes into the sport, he texted Berry.
We gotta have him.
“He was joking with the ref, enjoying with tempo, may actually shoot,” Prohm instructed CBS Sports activities. “I giggle on a regular basis, you hear all these NBA scouts and folks speaking about, man, may he get his shot off? He shot 40% or higher from 3 two years in a row in the very best league within the nation.”
Haliburton completed highschool as a three-star prospect ranked 177th nationally. He believed in Prohm as a result of Deonte Burton (additionally from Wisconsin) got here from the identical pipeline. He additionally noticed guys like Monte Morris thrive at ISU, along with Prohm placing Isaiah Canaan and Cam Payne into the NBA from his time at Murray State. Iowa State in the end beat out UNI, Nebraska and Cincinnati for Haliburton.
And it is attainable he wanted that precise path to get to the place he’s toda.
“You by no means know, projecting what a participant’s going to develop into, however you may inform he was going to convey an unimaginable persona to our program,” Berry mentioned.
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Haliburton additionally had a reference to one other incoming ISU freshman in 2018: Talen Horton-Tucker, who’s been within the NBA for six seasons, most lately with the Bulls. And but, their journey dates again greater than 15 years.
“We have recognized one another for the reason that fourth grade,” Horton-Tucker instructed CBS Sports activities. “We at all times grew up enjoying towards one another. It is humorous individuals see the best way he performs now, the best way his shot is. It is the identical since I first met him, the primary day.”
The primary time they performed one another was in an AAU championship recreation. Horton-Tucker remembers beating Haliburton’s group by almost 30. A couple of years later, Haliburton received revenge with a blowout win over Horton-Tucker’s squad.
Discuss to only about anybody who knew Haliburton as a scrawny teenager and so they’ll inform you a similar factor Horton-Tucker, Prohm and Berry instructed me: He’s just about the identical particular person now as he was then (in a great way). Haliburton carries an infectious temperament; it is what’s empowered him to be a pacesetter for the Pacers. Return 10 years and also you’d nonetheless see somebody who was an affable alpha.
Seemingly everybody in his Oshkosh, Wisconsin neighborhood knew little Hali in center college and highschool. He lived a pair blocks from college and his single-story home was the one the place all the children would pile into after schooldays.
“To play that place it’s a must to have nice individuals expertise, must be selfless, and it’s a must to have persona,” Prohm instructed me previous to Recreation 5 of the ECF. “Magic (Johnson) had persona. He is received persona and that is what throws him excessive. He can win over any room that he walks into due to his charisma and character. Once you shake palms with him after the video games at this time, it is the identical particular person you talked to seven, eight, 9 years in the past.”
Haliburton arrived at Iowa State’s campus in the summertime of 2018 weighing lower than 150 kilos on a 6-foot-4 body. A forgotten story from his arrival, and one which’s laughable looking back: Haliburton apprehensive that summer season he may be redshirted and compelled to take a seat a yr.
“Once we first received to highschool he was somewhat sick, so he missed a couple of exercises and was behind the 8-ball,” Horton-Tucker mentioned. “When he received higher, you may see it early on with him, being the true level guard he’s, that he was destined for achievement.”
Nonetheless, Haliburton requested a number of occasions for assurances he would get an opportunity to play, simply so he may show himself towards the veterans.
“It goes to point out you the place his humility degree was,” Berry mentioned. “Steve may inform early on how good he was.”
Within the first recreation of Haliburton’s freshman yr, ISU sophomore guard Lindell Wigginton damage his foot. So Haliburton discovered himself on the ground much more than anticipated — 29 minutes — and his instinct was apparent.
“As soon as that recreation occurred, it is a kind of issues the place you notice he is by no means leaving the lineup after,” Horton-Tucker mentioned.
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Haliburton was instantly inserted into the beginning lineup; Prohm instructed me it felt like a no brainer even then. After that second recreation, a win vs. Missouri, Prohm was shocked to comprehend: Haliburton had simply performed 40 minutes, solidifying his starter’s position. That group would go on to get a 6-seed within the NCAA Event.
“He provides you a calmness on the ground by the best way he performs and by the best way he can course of the sport,” Prohm mentioned.
Early in that freshman yr, as scouts got here to get nearer seems on Horton-Tucker and teammate Marial Shayok, one Western Convention government was lingering within the fitness center close to the tip of follow. Prohm requested if he wanted something.
“You recognize who your greatest participant is?” the exec requested Prohm. “Haliburton’s going to be your highest draft decide.”
“What makes you say that?” Prohm requested.
“The way in which he allows you to coach him, the best way he listens to the older guys, the best way he catches on to issues and the way he’s on the ground. I might take him proper now.”
This was greater than a yr earlier than Haliburton can be taken within the lottery by the Sacramento Kings. On the finish of that freshman season, ISU was upset within the first spherical of the NCAA Event by Ohio State. Haliburton went over to Horton-Tucker within the locker room and requested him to return again for his sophomore season. In that second, Horton-Tucker anticipated that to be his course, however he wound up having a robust sufficient pre-draft course of that he went one-and-done and was taken halfway via the second spherical.
It wasn’t straightforward for Horton-Tucker to go away. Haliburton was essentially the most dependable teammate he had. They’d pile into his Chevy for diner runs, darts over to the follow facility, noon lunches, you title it.
“I can say it as a result of I have been round him off the courtroom, too, he is a group participant on and off the courtroom,” Horton-Tucker mentioned. “When he was a freshman, he was the one one with the automotive. We needed to get anyplace, he was the man we may rely on. … To have these equalities on prime of the basketball expertise, I just about knew from that point on he’d make it.”
With Horton-Tucker gone for the 2019-20 season, Haliburton went from being a pass-pass-pass level guard as a freshman to being requested to attain rather more in Yr 2. Essentially the most absurd element about Haliburton’s school profession: Per Prohm, he did not play one possession at level guard as a sophomore. But he nonetheless logged 3.6 assists per recreation. A wrist damage sidelined him within the again half of that second season and Haliburton’s worth was mirrored due to it. Iowa State suffered with out him and missed the NCAA tourney. It speaks to Haliburton’s numbers, popularity and pre-draft course of that he nonetheless wound up being chosen twelfth general by the Kings.
He performed 57 video games in two seasons at ISU. His conventional numbers have been ordinary-looking (10.1 ppg, 4.7 apg, 4.4 rpg) however his participant effectivity ranking was excessive for a guard (20.3) and he shot 42.6% from 3-point vary, 50.9% general. In superior metrics, he was conspicuously particular. The info steered a intelligent participant who was particularly invaluable as a result of he had size, did not power unhealthy photographs and rarely fouled. If something, he was underused. As a freshman, Haliburton posted an outrageous 136.8 offensive ranking — the best of any first-year participant in KenPom historical past, going again twenty years in that information set.
Nonetheless, that means a participant who may join and stick within the NBA. Haliburton’s blown previous all that. Why has he hit so large? What was there at Iowa State that is been enhanced by NBA schemes?
“Basketball IQ, basketball IQ, basketball IQ. He is good,” Prohm mentioned.
Returning to the Midwest has additionally helped. Indiana is a pure place for Haliburton to name residence. The followers flock to him and he enjoys giving again to that neighborhood. Haliburton manifests success. It is simply at all times been part of his id. He received a state championship in highschool, was a right away click on at Iowa State, and now we have seen him elevate to top-tier NBA level guard, leapfrogging Jalen Brunson within the strategy of getting the Pacers previous the Knicks.
Indiana modified its franchise a lot for the higher when it traded for Haliburton in 2022. Now it is 4 wins away from the most important second in franchise historical past. This does not occur if Haliburton is not wired to be the perfect level guard for Rick Carlisle’s system.
It would not occur if Tyrese Haliburton is not the participant he is at all times been.
“Wonderful smile, superb spirit and a capability to attach individuals,” Prohm mentioned. “I at all times mentioned he might be the governor of Wisconsin if he needed — and an NBA All-Star.”
And positive sufficient, a Corridor-of-Famer if he retains this up within the years to return.
This function was modified and up to date from a December 2023 piece about Tyrese Haliburton in Matt Norlander’s school basketball Courtroom Report.