Last week, Bleacher Report put out an article where their staff did an NBA re-draft only using the draft classes from 2019 to 2023. This pool includes players like Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.
In their re-draft, Bleacher Report selected Wembanyama (currently with the San Antonio Spurs) with the No. 1 overall pick to the Detroit Pistons. And with the No. 2 pick, they had the Spurs select Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. Though these are exciting hypotheticals, Pacers fans should probably care the most about the No. 3 pick.
Bleacher Report re-drafted Haliburton to the Washington Wizards with the No. 3 pick. This selection comes before other big names like Tyrese Maxey, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, and fellow Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (who they had going No. 27 to the Philadelphia 76ers).
Grant Hughes, the Bleacher Report writer who "drafted" Haliburton, explained picking him above some of the other young talent with his pick.
"Haliburton makes perfect sense as a foundational piece here. A preternaturally unselfish passer, he's hard-wired to hunt shots for teammates. That's going to matter for a club as early in its rebuild as the Wizards," Hughes said.
"Young players who might otherwise struggle to find their footing will benefit greatly from Haliburton's picture-perfect setups. Better still, his presence basically ensures an exciting, uptempo style."
Tyrese Haliburton is a star in the making
In the real NBA world, Haliburton initially joined the league after the Sacramento Kings drafted him with the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. However, less than two years later, the Kings traded Haliburton to Indiana, where he has blossomed into an All-NBA player.
During his time with the Pacers so far, the Wisconsin native has averaged 19.9 points, 10.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. In each of his two full seasons with the Pacers, Haliburton was selected to the All-Star Game and finished in the top 10 in Most Improved Player voting. So far, he has improved each year in Indiana and should only continue to get better.
Last season, Haliburton led the Pacers to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 10 years and is currently representing Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. It is clear that the 24-year-old is going to play a major role in helping the Pacers win their first NBA title in franchise history, and he has already established himself as one of the best young stars in the league today.