Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is preparing to play in the NBA Finals for the first time and is firmly established as one of the best players in the league.

Yet the satisfaction level never sinks in for the former three-star recruit at Oshkosh North in Wisconsin and the player traded by the Sacramento Kings just 109 games into his career.

“It will never stop. I think that’s part of my drive,” said Haliburton on Wednesday, one day before the Pacers visit the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. “Obviously, I want to be the best. I want to be great. I want to squeeze every ounce of God-given ability that I have to be the best player I can be.

“But any doubt is always good for me. I love to hear that stuff. I’ll continue to tell you guys in certain moments that it doesn’t matter what people say. But it matters and I enjoy it.”

Haliburton, a two-time All-Star at age 25, has fueled the Pacers’ rise while exceeding the expectation of others.

When the elite schools didn’t covet Haliburton, he went to Iowa State. He was in the midst of a standout 2019-20 sophomore campaign with the Cyclones when he sustained a season-ending fractured left wrist.

He declared for the 2020 NBA Draft and was selected 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings. During his second season, the Kings decided they needed to choose between De’Aaron Fox or Haliburton as their point guard. Fox was kept and Haliburton was dealt to the Pacers in February 2022.

Even though Sacramento received Domantas Sabonis in the deal, Indiana has gotten the better end of the transaction. In fact, the Kings no longer have Fox either.

Getting traded wasn’t easy for Haliburton but he sure is thankful things occurred the way they did. They provided more fuel.

“I think the greats try to find external motivation as much as they can and that’s something that’s always worked for me,” Haliburton said. “I understand what you’re saying. It doesn’t solidify who I am. I know who I am. I don’t need anybody to tell me who I am or who I am as a player or person. I’m grounded in myself. … But I think that extra doubt, that extra fuel always helps.”

Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 73 regular-season games this season. In the playoffs, he is averaging 18.8 points, 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds.

Now the small-town kid who attended college in a small place is happy to be on the big stage. But he’s miffed to hear Indianapolis mentioned as a small market.

“I just feel like being in Indy, like, it’s a great place for me,” Haliburton said. “Indy is a much bigger place than I’m even accustomed to. I know people say it’s a small market, whatever the case is. Like, I didn’t grow up somewhere where it was much bigger, have more to do.

“So, I love being in Indy. Indy has been a great place for me and my family. My whole family lives there now. We love being there. It’s a lot of fun for me. I don’t need the glitz and glamour of a large city or anything.”

–Field Level Media