Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton: ‘I Got Too Caught Up In Outside Noise’

January 11, 2025

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton’s journey in the NBA has already seen remarkable highs, but the early part of this season has presented a different kind of challenge.

The 23-year-old All-Star guard is the unquestioned leader of the Pacers, a team that made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals just last season. However, his play through the opening months of the current campaign has raised some eyebrows.

Haliburton has admitted to struggling with his confidence, an issue that has impacted his overall game.

In a recent interview with The Athletic’s Jared Weiss and Sam Amick, Haliburton opened up about the internal battles he’s faced.

“I got too caught up in outside noise and allowing myself to think such negative thoughts about myself internally,” Haliburton said. “It was the first time in my life that I had real self-doubt behind everything I was doing.”

Haliburton’s vulnerability is telling. Not only is he shouldering the pressure of leading a franchise, but he’s also had to deal with personal struggles that have affected his on-court performance.

“I feel like my personal struggles were leading to the team’s struggles,” he said. “A lot of our games early, that we were right there to win, I just wasn’t playing my best basketball and I think that was taking away from us winning games.”

While the Pacers’ early struggles may not be solely on Haliburton, it’s clear that his mindset and performance have been a critical part of the team’s overall dynamic.

But it’s this very openness that highlights the type of leader Haliburton is becoming. As difficult as it may have been to admit, by sharing his struggles with the media and the world, Haliburton is making himself more approachable within the locker room.

In doing so, he’s setting a precedent for future Pacers players, showing them that it’s OK to face adversity head-on and be honest about it.

“By being open, I think it helps the whole team,” Haliburton said.