Pacers point guard star Tyrese Haliburton is enjoying a career-best season in 2023. The MVP contender has not forgotten all 11 teams that passed on him in the 2020 NBA Draft.
In a video with Rachel Nichols, Haliburton is seen recalling every team that opted against picking him as well as every player who was drafted before him.
After Minnesota selected Anthony Edwards with the first pick of the draft, James Wiseman went second to Golden State, LaMelo Ball went third to Charlotte, Patrick Williams fourth to Chicago with Isaac Okoro rounding out the top five to Cleveland.
After those talents, Onyeka Okongwu (Atlanta), Killian Hayes (Detroit), Obi Toppin (NY Knicks), Deni Avdija (Washington), Jalen Smith (Phoenix) and Devin Vassell (San Antonio) were taken prior to Sacramento tabbing Haliburton 12th overall.
Tyrese Haliburton can name every player drafted before him 👀 Where would Haliburton go in a redraft? @shobasketball pic.twitter.com/JUQGmoJrGY
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) December 9, 2023
While some argue that Haliburton, who is averaging 26.9 points and a league-leading 12.1 assists per game, uses his fall outside of the top 10 as a motivating factor to achieve greatness.
Regardless of what happened in the 2020 draft, there is no denying that in a re-draft a strong case could be made that the 23 year-old who Steve Kerr compared to a young Stephen Curry would be the first player off the board.
