Tyrese Haliburton’s quiet yet dominant playoff performances are earning him praise from his peers, with many taking notice of his underappreciated skills. One of those who recognizes his talent is projected No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, who recently named Haliburton as the NBA’s most underrated player. Flagg’s statement comes as Haliburton continues to lead the Indiana Pacers through the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
“Tyrese Haliburton, because people hate him and call him overrated all the time and say he’s not that good, but he’s just such a good basketball player,” Flagg said when asked to name the NBA’s most underrated player.
Haliburton’s performance in Game 5 of the Pacers’ series against the Cleveland Cavaliers reinforced Flagg’s point. Haliburton scored 31 points, including five three-pointers in the second quarter, helping Indiana erase a 19-point deficit to secure a 114-105 victory. The Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year, a feat they hadn’t achieved in nearly two decades.
While critics often question his playmaking ability, Haliburton’s poise and commitment to the game have kept him focused. Haliburton addressed the public’s ongoing criticism on The Pat McAfee Show, saying, “Everybody has critics. You have critics on your show. I have critics in what I do. Jesus had critics. We all got critics.”
The Pacers’ 50-32 regular season record has been boosted by Haliburton’s stellar play, which includes 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game.
Haliburton’s growth has not gone unnoticed by LeBron James, who took to social media after the Game 5 win to praise him. “Hali fkn hooping!!!! Where the lames who said he was overrated??!! Quiet as hell. That boy NICE and even more someone everyone would love to play with!” James tweeted.
In return, Haliburton shared that he and LeBron had been in touch, especially since they both trained together with Team USA. Haliburton added, “Yeah, the Bron thing was super, super cool. We texted back and forth last night.”
Haliburton, ever humble, emphasized his approach to the game, stating, “I feel like I’m a true pass-first point guard. I just try to play the game the right way, man. I want to play the right way, and I want to win.”
With Indiana now facing the winner of the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks series, Haliburton and the Pacers are focused on their first Finals appearance in 25 years.
