Paul George: Tyrese Haliburton is a superstar, face of the NBA

Paul George: Tyrese Haliburton is a superstar, face of the NBA

Against all odds, the Indiana Pacers are one game away from their first NBA Finals berth since 1999-00.

The biggest part of their outstanding postseason has been due to rising star Tyrese Haliburton, who’s averaging 19.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, an NBA-most 9.8 assists and 1.2 steals on 46.7 percent shooting and 58.6 percent true shooting these playoffs.

Like they do every playoff run with a rising star making a run, conversation has sparked about Haliburton’s ranking leaguewide. According to 76ers forward Paul George, the two-time All-Star is already a superstar and the potential face of the NBA.

“In my eyes, I think he is a superstar,” George said on his latest Podcast P with Paul George episode. “He’s the face of the NBA. He is the number 1 option. He’s a setup (point guard) first, but he can be your late-game scorer. He’s been a clutch performer late in games. He can be an isolation player–that’s just not his calling. I want to see him continue to do this, which I know he will.”

"In my eyes, I think he is a superstar. He's the face of the NBA. He is the number 1 option… He's been a clutch performer late in games."

Paul George on Tyrese Haliburton 🙌

(via @PodcastPShow)pic.twitter.com/wnv0ziLQk5

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 29, 2025

I don’t like it when the word superstar–and “generational”–get thrown around too loosely. Not to say that George is wrong, but every time the general public uses those two phrases, the meaning of the word(s) become devalued. I’m not absolving my past self from criticism, either, but I digress.

Even though that he doesn’t put up the counting stats that a few of his peers today, there’s zero doubt that Haliburton has risen into being one of the NBA’s top guards. There’s value in being a pure floor general, consistently spearheading lethal offenses while also finding ways to get your own very efficiently.

Tyrese Haliburton has been insanely efficient when Pacers have needed it most

Not to mention, he’s been elite in clutch situations, which has swayed multiple series. It remains absurd to me how he was voted by players as the NBA’s most overrated player, but I guess this run all but dismantles that blasphemy, doesn’t it?!?

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