Shaquille O’Neal Not Ready To Have ‘All Time Clutch’ Conversations About Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton is putting on a show this postseason. He’s been one of the most reliable players in crunch time, and his latest game-winner just added fuel to the fire. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals against OKC, Haliburton hit a cold-blooded jumper with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

That shot gave Indiana its first lead of the game, which turned out to be the only one that mattered. What made it even more special was that Haliburton had an otherwise poor outing, scoring just 12 points before that shot.

Even on his bad day, the Pacers star could hit the game-winning shot in the NBA Finals. So naturally, Haliburton’s name is now floating in big conversations. But Shaquille O’Neal is asking for patience. During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Shaq was asked, “Where does Haliburton rank for you…in terms of all-time clutch performers?”

The question wasn’t far-fetched, especially considering Haliburton has hit four game-winning/go-ahead/game-tying shots during this postseason. However, Shaq is still not convinced. He said, “I don’t wanna put him in that category yet.” Despite that, the big fella applauded Haliburton and stated that he is an enjoyable player to watch.

What Shaq was trying to highlight was that while the moment was huge, clutch status over time requires consistency, legacy, and repetition. One big shot or even a handful doesn’t make someone a postseason legend. While he’s not ready to put Haliburton on the elite list yet, Shaq is all praise for the Pacers star.

The numbers, however, show that Haliburton must be acknowledged as a clutch star. He has hit 13-of-15 (87%) tie or go-ahead shots in the final two minutes of the game this season. For comparison, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 0 for 7.

Dwyane Wade acknowledges Tyrese Haliburton as a superstar

There’s no denying that Haliburton is one of the most talented players in the league. Other than the fact that he’s going toe-to-toe against the reigning MVP in the Finals, he can match up against anyone else with his skills. Despite that, Haliburton doesn’t get the same shine as some of his peers. But Dwyane Wade is taking care of that problem on his own.

The NBA legend has been raving about the Pacers star and his standing in the league. Wade recently said, “Haliburton is a f***ing superstar.” This was right after he witnessed Haliburton hit the game winner against OKC, which he considers to be one of the best games he has ever watched. Wade’s praise didn’t stop there.

“Stop playing with Haliburton. I’m gonna get a jersey. I need it signed…This guy has something…his clutch gene is what we all want in life,” Wade added. Amid being called overrated and not getting his due credit, such words from a legend like DWade must put a smile on Haliburton’s face.