Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Shrugs Off ‘Overrated’ Label: “Critics Target Everyone”

Indiana’s All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton was once labeled the NBA’s most overrated player in an Athletic poll last month, a designation that ignited heated debate online. Yet three weeks later, the 25-year-old orchestrated another upset, guiding the Pacers past the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in five games to reach the Eastern Conference finals.

Haliburton Brushes Off the Naysayers
On Wednesday’s episode of ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show, Haliburton addressed the dismissive chatter head-on. He noted that in sports, if one’s own team struggles, critics often deflect by tearing down opponents. “That’s the nature of competition,” he said. “Everyone’s got critics—your show has critics, I have critics, even Jesus had critics.”

Dominant Play Continues in Playoffs
Over 10 postseason games, Haliburton has averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 34.1 minutes, hitting 47.4% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point range.

Historic Road Success
In Game 5 against Cleveland, Haliburton spearheaded a comeback from a 19-point first-half deficit, and Indiana went on to win all three contests at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It marked the first time since 2005—and only the second time in franchise history—that the Pacers captured three road victories in a single playoff series. Doubters have targeted not just Haliburton but his entire supporting cast.

Fueling the Underdog Mentality
“I think a lot of our guys have been written off at some point,” Haliburton remarked. “Andrew Nembhard was a second-round pick. Aaron Nesmith got traded and became a meme. Myles Turner has been in trade rumors his whole career. Pascal [Siakam] was a late-game addition. We’re full of players who’ve felt overlooked, so we use that as motivation to achieve something special.”

A Rare Feat
According to Basketball-Reference, Indiana is the first team since 1984 to reach consecutive conference finals as a No. 4 seed or lower. Last season, as a No. 6 seed, they advanced before being swept by the eventual champion Boston Celtics. Should the Pacers make the Finals for the first time since 2000, it may be time to crown Haliburton not the most overrated, but perhaps the league’s most underappreciated talent.