Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (15) rolls out to pass during a NCAA college football game in the Cheez-It Bowl against Clemson, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. 211228 Cheez It Bowl Extras 015 Jpg Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Iowa State Star Brock Purdy Shares How He Always Knew Tyrese Haliburton Was Special

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 1:06 PM ET

After having storied careers in Ames, former Iowa State stars Brock Purdy and Tyrese Haliburton have been taking things to the next level professionally.

Purdy, the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has reached the Super Bowl and earned Pro Bowl honors. Haliburton, meanwhile, was central to the Indiana Pacers reaching the 2025 NBA Finals. If it weren't for the former Cyclone rupturing his Achilles tendon in Game 7, he could also have been an NBA Champion.

With Purdy and Haliburton making headlines, Cyclone fans are naturally proud of Iowa State legends carrying the legacy of their time in Ames. However, according to Purdy, the next-level play and Iowa State connection have made him close friends with Haliburton, despite playing different sports at Iowa State.

"I have. It was more of a, 'Congrats on a good season!' type of thing," Purdy said when asked by Rich Eisen about his relationship with Haliburton. "[I'm] praying for him, man. After his injury in Game 7, it was tough to watch.

"But, I'm so proud of him. After the playoff run he had, all of us Iowa State guys, we've known that Tyrese had the it-factor going back to college. To see him doing this on a national level, at the highest level, in the NBA, man, it's pretty remarkable. His playoff run, the season he had, I couldn't be any happier for him."

However, when asked about how he first met Haliburton, Purdy dove deeper into the superstar duo's special relationship and how he always knew Haliburton was going to be special in the NBA.

"Our freshman year, you know, we had some of those general classes at Iowa State," Purdy shared. "But after just hanging out with him, [you could tell] he's a genuine dude. He's this charismatic personality in front of all the guys and stuff, and it was kind of sweet. This guy has got something to him.

"And sure enough, when basketball season rolled around, he stepped up as a Freshman, as a 6'6 point guard dishing it out, going on explosive runs, and throwing it down in front of the whole stadium, I was just like, 'Oh, shoot. Tyrese is like that.'

"And then, he stayed a second year and did the same thing. But, not only that, man, but whenever he was on the court, you felt that the whole team, and everybody watching, knew that our team had a chance now, and he's going to elevate his game and everyone around him. You felt that. So, seeing this on the NBA level now, this is the same Tyrese that I watched back at Iowa State."

While Haliburton recovers from his Achilles injury, Iowa State fans won't be the only ones rooting for him. So will Purdy, a close friend who is hoping to take Haliburton's example and run with it, becoming the first Cyclones quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

This article first appeared on Iowa State Cyclones on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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