In a sport shaped by titans, there might not be a more notable one in this year's postseason than Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.
The 25-year-old is a household name among basketball enthusiasts, armed with precise passing skills and one of the most unique — and most effective — shots in the league. He's picked up his fair share of accolades in his still burgeoning career — two All-Star appearances, two All-NBA nods and a glint gold medal. That's not to mention his most recent feat: leading Indiana to the NBA Finals.
Yet, for all the praise that has swirled around Haliburton's name in recent weeks, he hasn't always been cast in the most flattering light. Just a few months ago, Haliburton's play drew rebuke from his own peers.
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With that, here's what you need to know about Haliburton, believed by some of his NBA colleagues to be the league's "most overrated player."
Tyrese Haliburton overrated player poll
Haliburton's recent heroics have thrust him into the limelight for all the right reasons. The same couldn't be said at the beginning of the postseason when Haliburton's name was attached to one of the NBA's most undesirable titles.
In an anonymous player poll conducted by The Athletic during the final month of the regular season, Haliburton was named the league's most overrated player. The Pacers standout garnered 14.4 percent of the 158-man vote, more than top candidates Rudy Gobert and Trae Young.
| Rank | Player | Team | Percentage of vote |
| 1 | Tyrese Haliburton | Pacers | 14.4% |
| 2 | Rudy Gobert | Timberwolves | 10.0% |
| 3 | Trae Young | Hawks | 8.9% |
| 4 | Jimmy Butler | Warriors | 5.5% |
| 5 | Bradley Beal | Suns | 4.4% |
| Draymond Green | Warriors | 4.4% | |
| Ja Morant | Grizzlies | 4.4% | |
| Julius Randle | Timberwolves | 4.4% |
Haliburton endured a challenging start to the year, having been felled by back trouble as Indiana sulked to a sub-.500 start. He turned things around in the second half, bringing his scoring and assist figures up to secure a spot on the All-NBA third team for the second season in a row. The Pacers enjoyed a similar renaissance; they claimed 34 wins in 48 post-Jan. 1 matches, the fourth-best mark in basketball.
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That wasn't enough to spare him from the wrath of his peers, who appeared unconvinced that he was worthy of all the praise he had received. Perhaps he's changed those notions in the playoffs. The masses of NBA fans seem to think so; his volley of game-winning baskets has made him an increasingly notable figure in the league's pecking order.
Haliburton has spent much of the postseason affirming his status a one of the sport's greatest play-makers. He's also been willing to throw shade on the poll's results, as he did when Indiana vanquished Milwaukee in the first round.
Overrate THAT
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) April 30, 2025
What a difference a few months — and a bevy of game-winners, eye-catching assists and historic comebacks — can make.