Tyrese Haliburton said the Detroit Pistons passing on him in the 2020 NBA Draft was the selection that felt “the most personal,” largely because he believed Detroit needed a point guard and expected to be chosen at No. 7.
Speaking with Taylor Rooks, Haliburton explained that he entered the draft believing he was the best available point guard after LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman were taken with the first three selections. Detroit instead selected Killian Hayes, leaving Haliburton stunned.
“With the Pistons, I knew they needed a point guard,” Haliburton said. “In that moment, I already felt like I was the best point guard in the draft. LaMelo was touted as the number one guy, so he got drafted. And now I’m like, ‘Okay, it’s got to be me.’”
Haliburton said he had other preferred destinations, including Golden State, Chicago and New York, but Detroit stood out because of its roster situation. He also recalled asking Atlanta and Cleveland not to select him because the Hawks already had Trae Young and the Cavaliers had Darius Garland.
“So with the Pistons, I’m like, ‘You need a point guard, it’s got to be me,’” Haliburton said. “Then I look at my agent behind the camera and he gives me the look. Then it flashes up Killian Hayes, and I’m like, ‘What?!’”
The reaction was immediate. “In that moment, I was just angry,” Haliburton said. “Like, what do you mean they need a point guard and they’re not picking me?”
Haliburton ultimately fell to Sacramento at No. 12 and spent his first 1½ seasons with the Kings before being traded to Indiana in February 2022. Since joining the Pacers, he has developed into a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.
Across his first five NBA seasons, Haliburton averaged 17.5 points, 8.8 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 33.0 minutes per game while shooting 47.7% from the field, 39.2% from three-point range and 85.5% from the free-throw line. His 8.8 assists per game rank among the league’s top playmaking production during that span.
The contrast with Hayes is central to the memory. Hayes played 214 games for Detroit over four seasons, averaging 6.9 points and 4.1 assists per game before leaving the Pistons, while Haliburton became one of the NBA’s premier offensive organizers.
For Haliburton, however, the 2020 decision remains memorable because of how strongly he believed Detroit’s needs aligned with his own evaluation of his game.
“Of the teams that passed on you, was there one that felt the most personal?” Rooks asked.
“For sure, Detroit. For sure, Detroit,” Haliburton replied.
