Tyrese Haliburton has been impactful right away with his pinpoint shooting, feel for the game and ability to make big plays. He’s featured in 54 games for the Sacramento Kings this season, averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 assists and three rebounds per game.
Tyrese Haliburton on early days in the NBA
Although he’s established himself through the course of his rookie year, Tyrese Haliburton had received his seal of approval much earlier. Hall of Famer and LA Lakers great Magic Johnson had christened him “Little Magic” just a day after the NBA Draft. Haliburton is grateful for all the comparisons, but he’s staying grounded.
Even though Tyrese Haliburton’s living the dream of playing in the NBA, the road leading up to the league wasn’t always straight. Haliburton had to prove his naysayers wrong, especially those who claimed that his unorthodox shooting form wouldn’t translate into the NBA.
Tyrese Haliburton’s redeemed himself by averaging 41.2% accuracy from downtown, but he’s had to put in a lot of hard work for achieving the desired results.
Tyrese Haliburton’s efforts have translated into valuable production on the court and he’s even in the running for the Rookie of the Year accolade. He’s currently ranked fourth on the official ladder.
There’s every chance that Haliburton could end up with the award but he isn’t going to fret much if he doesn’t.
Tyrese Haliburton on his clutch gene and playing winning basketball
It’s not just his ability to drain buckets efficiently that separates Tyrese Haliburton from the rest of the current rookie class. Haliburton is a clutch player who’s already turned up big on several occasions for the Sacramento Kings.
He scored a dagger three-pointer against the Toronto Raptors back in January despite having missed six of his previous attempts from downtown. He even scored the go-ahead for the Kings late in their win against the Minnesota Timberwolves last Wednesday.
Haliburton took the time to explain the trick that has helped him become the go-to player for his team down the stretch at such an early stage in his career:
It’s not just the approach that helps Haliburton perform for the team in dire moments. It’s also his belief that at the end of the day, you simply have to impact winning.
Tyrese Haliburton on his rookie campaign with the Sacramento Kings
Interestingly enough, Tyrese Haliburton was a winning player all his life before entering the NBA. Haliburton won a state title while playing for Oshkosh North High School and was selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team during his sophomore year at Iowa State.
The situation hasn’t been the same with the Sacramento Kings, who are currently the 12th seed in the West with a 24-36 record. Haliburton is learning from these previously uncharted waters too.
The Sacramento Kings are currently 6.5 games behind the 10th seeded Golden State Warriors. It’s looking rather likely that they’ll miss out on the playoffs for the 15th straight season. Tyrese Haliburton took a moment to evaluate the Kings’ campaign:
Even though the Sacramento Kings continue to struggle, big things can be expected of Tyrese Haliburton. He’s turned up big in the Kings’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, recording 24 points and eight assists.
With De’Aaron Fox getting sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, Tyrese Haliburton will be burdened with additional responsibility. He’ll be hoping to shoulder the same with aplomb while leading the Kings’ final push for a play-in tournament spot.
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