Tyrese Haliburton reveals that Kyrie Irving was the first NBA player he faced who made him really feel star-struck on the court.
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Tyrese Haliburton has been an outstanding prospect since he first dawned on the Sacramento Kings’ jersey in 2020. The 22-year-old was highly touted to be the liberator of a franchise, that had not seen a playoff berth since 2006.
And in spite of his commitment and dedication to the franchise, the organization shipped him off to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis. Now, while Sabonis has been a tremendous addition to the growing, talented roster in Sac-town, the franchise is yet to show anything for it.
Tyrese Haliburton on the other hand has thrived with the Pacers, cementing himself as the cornerstone of the franchise for the upcoming decade. His rookie year was a testament to the potential he possessed, with the fans of the Kings hailing him as their future.
Haliburton in a recent interview recalled moments from his rookie year particularly, how he was fascinated to come up against NBA champion, Kyrie Irving.
Tyrese Haliburton talks about facing Kyrie Irving
In the wake of a successful start to his campaign, the Pacers prodigy made an appearance for an interview with Taylor Rooks. The pair indulged in a deep conversation, where the American disclosed how he was taken aback while facing Kyrie Irving.
Speaking to Andrews about the matter, Haliburton had this to say. He stated:
“For me, it was probably Kyrie, I’m gonna be real. Kyrie has no weaknesses as a basketball player, and I believed that before I was in the NBA and I believe that even more as an NBA player..He’s in my position as well. He’s like guarding me, I guard him like I get switched on him..The first time I played him he had 40, the second time I played him, I had a really good game and he acknowledged me after the game and we had a conversation and that meant a lot to me.”
The statements made by Haliburton are not surprising in the least. A large number of rookies have a tremendous amount of respect for Irving and his role in helping develop the sport. Irving’s influence runs deep within the new generation of stars, who resonate with his ideologies.
Apart from the media and the outside noise, Irving’s reputation precedes himself for being a superlative basketball player and one of the greatest guards the NBA has had the honor to witness.
The Tyrese Haliburton era!
While some believe that the trade between the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings was a ‘Win-Win’ scenario, they could not have been more wrong.
Make no mistake, the duo of Sabonis and DeAaron Fox have a substantial amount of potential to propel the Kings to playoff triumph. The problem that arises with this is the pair is already in their mid-20s. So the organization cannot afford to make any more mistakes, considering they’ve cashed all their chips in for an opportunity to win in the present.
With Haliburton on the cusp of his 22nd birthday, the Pacers hierarchy will use Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin as their foundation and look to grow from there. As such, they have been awarded the gift of time to elevate their chances at an NBA championship.
Also read: Dennis Rodman Was Once Accused Of $42,000 In Unpaid Taxes Despite Receiving $43,000 From The State
