Jun 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of game six of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Steve Nash Calls Pacers’ Tyrese Halliburton ‘One of The Greatest' Ever at Specific Skill

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 1:30 PM ET

During an episode of the "Mind the Game podcast, Hall of Famer Steve Nash gave star Tyrese Haliburton a massive compliment regarding his passing and playmaking ability.

Haliburton led the Pacers to the team's first NBA Finals run in decades — spearheading an offense that moves the ball and plays unselfishly.

As a big guard, he can read over defenses and make several different kinds of passes, while shooting from deep well. His past two seasons have cemented him as a special player.

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On his podcast, Nash pointed out how impressed he was with a specific kind of pass that Haliburton regularly delivers.

“I would say this about Tyrese — I think he’s one of the greatest simple early-passers I’ve ever seen,” he said on the show.

“Sometimes you have great vision like Tyrese and you want to hold it to make that killer pass. You think, ‘I can get something better,’ and you might hold it for a second. But sometimes he just gets rid of it. And what that does — it makes defenses unsettled."

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According to Cleaning the Glass, Haliburton ranked in the 98th percentile in terms of how often he assisted his teammates' shots on the court.

Additionally, his assist-to-usage ratio is in the 97th percentile, demonstrating his efficiency with the ball. He is a smart decision-maker who avoids turnovers and creates good opportunities for his teammates.

In terms of analytics, he is one of the best passers in the NBA. Haliburton gets it done without needing to dominate the ball like a traditional top player, but rather makes the right reads.

Unfortunately, the NBA will not get to see his magic on the court until he recovers from a devastating Achilles injury.

While the 6-foot-5 combo guard might lose some athleticism from the injury, his ability to process what is happening on the court should remain at an elite level.

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