Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Receives Comparison to NBA Legend

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best point guards in the NBA, having led them to the Finals in the 2024-25 season.

However, in Game 7 of the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he suffered a torn Achilles, causing him to miss the entire 2025-26 season. 

Analyst Colin Cowherd recently compared Haliburton to Golden State Warriors star and NBA legend, Stephen Curry. He called Haliburton the "Stephen Curry of the Midwest."

"I'm talking about selling shoes, a likable personality, plays with joy," Cowherd said. "I'm saying in the Midwest – there's this kind of handsome, funny, playful, joyful leader of a franchise that you can't help but like. Elevates his teammates. He's kind of polarizing to guys, but you can't quite figure it out. You'd be like Steph Curry. No, no, that'd be Tyrese Haliburton."

Haliburton has shown the ability to elevate the teammates around him while playing with a lot of joy. 

In the 2024-25 season, the 26-year-old averaged 18.6 points per game along with 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.4 steals. He shot 47.3 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from behind the arc.

Haliburton is one of the best playmakers in the league and proved throughout the run to the Finals that he can get on fire quickly as a scorer.

The Pacers have a ton of talent around Haliburton, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and the newly acquired Ivica Zubac.

Zubac was acquired in a controversial move that sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a 2026 first-round pick (protected 1-4 and 10-30), a 2029 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick.

The gamble of how Kevin Pritchard protected the pick didn't pay off, as it ended up fifth overall, meaning the Los Angeles Clippers own the pick.

However, they have their new starting center in place with Zubac after Myles Turner left for the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency in the 2025 offseason.

The Pacers have a long journey ahead to win their first championship, but with the "Stephen Curry of the Midwest" set to return, they could be a contender in the 2026-27 season.

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