Since getting traded to the Indiana Pacers over three years ago, Tyrese Haliburton has established himself as one of the best young point guards in the NBA. During his time in Indiana so far, the Wisconsin native is a two-time All-Star, a one-time All-NBA selection, and a one-time assists leader. Additionally, he is a one-time Olympic gold medalist and led the Pacers to their first conference finals appearance in a decade last year.
Haliburton is one of the best playmakers in the NBA today, and he is crucial to the Pacers' success. Furthermore, he is just 25 years old and has a bright future ahead of him, which bodes well for his career and the Pacers' long-term future.
Despite being as successful as he has been, Haliburton still has his doubters, and that became even more evident given the results of the latest NBA survey.
Not everybody around the league loves Tyrese Haliburton
Recently, The Athletic released the results of their anonymous NBA player poll. In the poll, they ask players from all around their league for their opinions on certain topics, such as who will be the face of the league in five years and what they think of analytics.
One of the topics discussed was who the most overrated player in the NBA is. Unfortunately for Pacers fans, Haliburton received the most votes (14.4). For more context, Haliburton received just 3.7% of the votes last year.
On the surface, this is not a fun superlative for Haliburton or Pacers fans, especially since it feels like he and the team do not get the credit they deserve. However, when digging a bit deeper, Pacers fans should not be too down on the results.
Haliburton and the Pacers have proven time and again that they thrive when they are being doubted. It worked last year when they were just four wins away from an NBA Finals appearance, and it worked for them during this past regular season. As the Pacers look to surprise the basketball world once again and go on another deep playoff run, they will look to use the doubt they've received as motivation.
Regardless of what NBA players think of him, Haliburton is one of the brightest young stars in the league and will continue to build his resume in Indiana. The sky is the limit for the Iowa State alum, and as long as he remains the heartbeat of the Pacers, they will be in a good spot to contend with him leading the way for a long time.