Today’s young NBA players have a wealth of options for how they spend their downtime, whether at home or on the road, traveling with their team. One of the main choices is gaming, whether they’re streaming to their growing fanbases on Twitch or, if not on Twitch, they’re locked into competitive battles with their teammates on Kick.
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Fast-rising NBA star Tyrese Haliburton is no exception among his gaming peers in the NBA. In a recent interview with GQ Sports, the Pacers guard discussed this passion of his.
Like many things in life, gaming can be incredibly tribal. Some are strictly PlayStation people, whereas others are loyal to Microsoft’s Xbox. Haliburton, a former PS gamer, now prefers a PC set-up because of its versatility. He can travel with an external hard drive loaded with his game library for easy access while traveling.
“A lot of people would [play] on PlayStation or Xbox. I kind of moved away from that, [and] went to PC,” he said. But I realized that I do everything on PC and then I’d travel and I’d be on Xbox or PlayStation, and I [wouldn’t] have my data, my save on it. So I put all my games on my hard drive. So that makes my life easy.”
Among his list of favorite games are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, NBA 2K11, WWE SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain, and Mario Kart. So, Haliburton enjoys both competitive and casual gaming.
Unsurprisingly, Haliburton isn’t a traditionalist when it comes to PC gaming. The 2020 first-round Draft pick prefers using an Xbox controller, which he finds ideal for PC and laptop gaming, admitting he’s not comfortable playing with a mouse and keyboard.
“I’m not a mouse and keyboard player. I don’t really know how to type for real. I used to cheat in class and type, but like… So I always keep a controller on me.“
Now, before you roll your eyes, Haliburton deserves some grace for his non-traditional style of PC gaming. Millions of so-called “PC gamers” around the world use controllers.
Some opt for them to avoid the strain of cramped forearms, pinky fingers, and thumbs caused by keyboards. Controllers are also better suited for certain genres, like RPGs and sports games. Plus, many gamers enjoy the vibration feedback on a gamepad, which adds a new layer to the gaming experience.
Later, Haliburton—who was traded from the Sacramento Kings in 2022—explained that he uses Xbox controllers because they offer the best connectivity with Windows. “I grew up a PlayStation guy, but this connects to Windows the best,” said the playmaker.
Haliburton isn’t alone in the NBA’s PC gaming scene. He’s part of a rapidly growing group of hardcore PC gamers in the league. The Sixers’ Paul George, who once partnered with Nike to release a signature sneaker inspired by the original PlayStation console, has since transitioned to PC gaming. He uses an Alienware setup for his Twitch streams, often playing Call of Duty.
San Antonio guard De’Aaron Fox—formerly a HyperX Ambassador—is another notable name. He’s especially known for his Call of Duty skills but has also cited NBA 2K, Need for Speed, and Dragon Ball Z among his favorite games.
