Professional athletes often share friendships that develop based on their success in their respective sports. For Brock Purdy and Tyrese Haliburton, that friendship blossomed from their time at Iowa State. Neither were touted as great prospects coming into their drafts, with Haliburton going 12th overall, and Purdy earning the tag of Mr. Irrelevant for going dead last.
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They’ve both blossomed into stars, however, and their professional journeys also have similarities. Purdy and the 49ers lost Super Bowl LVIII to the Chiefs in heartbreaking fashion, after the game went to OT. Haliburton and the Pacers lost the Finals in Game 7, which was marred by the guard tearing his Achilles tendon in the 1st quarter.
It’s not uncommon for NBA and NFL stars to share a tight bond. Most famously, Randy Moss and Jason Williams went to DuPont High School in West Virginia, staying close to this day.
Purdy, who has remained close with Hali throughout, recently appeared on the Rich Eisen Show to speak about their bond. When Eisen asked him if he’d spoken to the Pacers guard at all after the Finals, Purdy replied in the affirmative. “I have, it was more so, just you know, congrats on the good season, and praying for him, man, after his injury in Game 7,” he said.
“That’s tough to watch, but I’m so proud of him, just the playoff run that he had. All of us Iowa State guys, we’ve known that Tyrese had the ‘It Factor’ going back to college, and to see him doing this at the highest level, in the NBA, it’s pretty remarkable,” he continued.
Purdy also recalled that Hali was no different in college. Having burst onto the scene as a freshman, he saw how the team rallied around him and how the general feeling of “we may have a chance” was prevalent whenever Haliburton was on the court.
Haliburton hasn’t been shy to show his Purdy some love too. “I’m excited for him. It’s an exciting moment for him and his family. No surprise to see what he’s doing,” said Hali after Purdy made it to the 2024 Super Bowl. He also took to X to celebrate Brock otherworldly $265 million payday.
https://t.co/goACkYb76p pic.twitter.com/z0lstfrBDa
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) May 16, 2025
Looking at it now, it’s clear to see that the ‘It Factor’ has followed Hali into the big leagues. After all, nobody could’ve predicted that the Pacers would make it to the NBA Finals, much less take the juggernaut OKC squad to seven games. Haliburton’s charisma on the floor and his ability to get his teammates involved showed us some fantastic basketball, and the NBA will sorely miss him on the floor next season, as he recovers from his injury.
