Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton is a rising star in the NBA. He just took part in his second All-Star game this past weekend, representing the home team on All-Star Saturday Night and in the game on Sunday.
He was a popular topic of conversation throughout the weekend, as some people believe Haliburton is capable of replacing the current group of legends as one of the faces of the NBA. That is the kind of trajectory he has been on since being traded to the Pacers from the Sacramento Kings in his second season in the league.
Haliburton was the centerpiece of the package coming back to Indiana with Domantas Sabonis heading to Sacramento. Both teams have to be pleased with how things have worked out as Sabonis helped the Kings snap their historic playoff drought and Haliburton is helping put the Pacers back on the map.
However, things could have gone drastically different for Haliburton in his career had he not slipped to the Kings at the No. 12 spot in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was linked to a few teams ahead of Sacramento in the draft, such as the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Tyrese Haliburton, 2020 NBA Draft, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers Updates
With the No. 7 pick, the Pistons selected a different point guard, Killian Hayes. New York went in a different direction, selecting power forward Obi Toppin. To this day, the Pistons passing on him for Hayes is something Haliburton still is angry about.
Haliburton revealed there were several teams that he would have loved to play with, mentioning the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Knicks and Pistons. He told the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers not to pick him, as they already had point guards in place with Trae Young and Darius Garland.
Detroit, however, was in the market for a point guard. Haliburton thought for sure that was where he would land, but they went with Hayes instead. Hindsight is 20/20, but that was a major blunder for the Pistons, as Hayes was released ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline this season and Haliburton is turning into a star.
He admitted that he was angry about being passed over and felt that it was personal. Now playing in the Central Division four times a year against the Pistons, Haliburton can remind them how big of a mistake it was to pass up on him.
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