Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is excited to compete on the world stage — and potentially recruit a few star teammates to the midwest.
The Indiana Pacers were on the verge of something special last season but ran into injuries. Now, with Tyrese Haliburton blossoming into stardom, a dynamic top-8 pick in Jarace Walker, and a splashy free-agent addition in Bruce Brown, it's starting to feel like the Pacers are on postseason watch.
Haliburton will look to elevate his game this summer with Team USA. He will compete alongside Mikal Bridges, Anthony Edwards, and several more NBA stars in the forthcoming FIBA World Cup. As he told Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, it's an opportunity to embrace a different role than he's used to.
"You're being put in different situations that you're not normally in. I think the great thing about USA is how everybody is the quote-unquote star of their team. They get to do everything whereas when you come to USA, you're a part of a team. You're part of something bigger than yourself."
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton embraces Team USA opportunity
Haliburton will certainly get the opportunity to expand his game in new and exciting ways. He has been the primary ball-handler ever since the trade to Indiana. Last season especially saw him operate as the Pacers' primary offensive fulcrum. That said, Haliburton has always been equally tremendous away from the ball as an automatic spot-up shooter, intuitive cutter, and brilliant connective passer who needs only nanoseconds to process the shifting defense and make the right decision.
He's particularly excited to play with Jalen Brunson and other point guards. Indiana could look to shift offensive priorities next season with more ball-handling reps for Bennedict Mathurin or even newcomers Bruce Brown and Jarace Walker, thus weaponizing Haliburton in different areas of the floor. What better trial ground than Team USA, with the best coaches in the world — Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra, Ty Lue, and Mark Few — overseeing his progress.
When asked if Haliburton will use his Team USA platform to further any future goals with Indiana — primarily on the recruiting front — the Pacers' point guard played coy, but with limited success.
"We'll see," [Haliburton] said with a big smile. "I'll do my fair share of conversations for sure. But I'm just looking forward to being around other young guys and competing."
The viability of Indiana as a free agent destination is up for debate, but Haliburton is a winning personality who has already established connections around the league through his podcast and others avenues. He was evidently a sizable factor in getting Bruce Brown to Indy and it's not hard to imagine some of Haliburton's younger NBA contemporaries wanting to link up in the future.
Team USA is loaded with players of Haliburton's generation: Brunson, Edwards, Bridges, Banchero, and so forth. These are all players in their early to mid-20s who could theoretically line up with Haliburton's competitive window somewhere down the line in Indiana.
Haliburton has certainly proven his ability to captain a competitive group. If the Pacers can stay healthy and get steady growth from members of the young core, a postseason berth is absolutely possible. Maybe even likely. And, if the Pacers can string together multiple competitive seasons, maybe Haliburton can lean on his new connections to bring some star power to Indiana.
Never say never.