Paul George Defends Tyrese Haliburton’s Superstar Status, Makes Bold “Face of the NBA” Claim

In sports, being a victim of one’s own success can lead to a range of outcomes—sometimes individually, sometimes all at once. A player’s achievements might be overshadowed by a teammate or dismissed due to the shortcomings of others. In the case of Tyrese Haliburton, he’s faced all of that and more since the start of the playoffs. Still, support for the Wisconsin native is growing, with peers like Paul George beginning to voice their backing.

In a recent episode of his podcast, George highlighted and praised several of Haliburton’s achievements this season.

“He’s [could lead his team] to the finals. He’s been a clutch performer late in games. I think he’s got one of the highest [game] closing percentages in the NBA, under two minutes. He’s proven he’s reliable as the number one option. I think you got to [give it to] him. He is the number one option,” the 76ers star said.

The praise didn’t stop there. George—a former Pacer who’s both celebrated and criticized for forcing a trade—went on to say that Haliburton has finally reached superstar status, something other noted figures like Gilbert Arenas denied.

“In my eyes, I think he is a superstar! I think he scratched the surface of superstardom. [But] I want to see him continue to do this, which I know he will. But he’s a superstar.”

“You don’t [potentially] get to the finals, you don’t be an All-Star in our league, and then now [you’re probably] taking your team to the championship, he’s an Olympic winner,” the ex-Clippers man added.

While Paul George’s praise is admirable, it might be a bit overstated when it comes to Haliburton’s impact at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His gold medal is undoubtedly a huge achievement and shouldn’t be downplayed. However, it’s important to consider his actual contributions.

Haliburton played in just three games, averaging 2.7 points, no rebounds, and 0.7 assists. Again, this is not to diminish the significance of winning gold, but rather to put his role into perspective.

Since the start of the season, NBA fans worldwide have been debating who will become the next “Face of the NBA.” While many have praised stars like Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, George took a bold stand, naming the Indiana guard as his top choice.

“He’s the face of the NBA; people are starting to understand and learn who he is. But he’s here [and] he’s arrived. He’s here; it comes down to consistency.” 

It’s important to remember that Paul George’s departure from the Pacers in 2017 set the stage for Haliburton to become a Pacer. Indiana traded George to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.

Then, in 2022, Haliburton was brought to Indiana as part of the trade package for Sabonis. So, interestingly, none of Haliburton’s rise with the Pacers might have happened if George hadn’t requested that trade. Funny how life works out sometimes.