Tyrese Haliburton Reveals Secret Motivation for Pacers' Playoff Run

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated May 29, 2025 5:15 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers lead the New York Knicks three games to one in the two teams' Eastern Conference Finals series heading into Thursday night's Game 5 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The game is a chance for Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to finish what he started in Game 1 as he sent it to overtime on a last minute three-point shot before helping to finish off coach Tom Thibodeau's team in the extra session.

The Pacers' Game 1 victory sparked what has been a stellar series for coach Rick Carlisle's team with Indiana looking to punch its first ticket to the NBA Finals since 2000, when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Thursday, footage surfaced of Haliburton recalling the 2020 NBA draft, and the personal snub at the hands of a rival team that fueled him to become his best self.

Haliburton was asked by reporter Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report about his NBA draft experience out of Iowa State.

Haliburton said he felt like he was the "best point guard in the draft," and was listed as the "number one best available" for quite some time during the draft.

He was passed over in favor of Killian Hayes by the Detroit Pistons, a pick that came back to bite Detroit as Haliburton became a star and Hayes was eventually shipped out of town while being labeled a disappointment.

"I remember looking at my agent, he was like...I was like...What is this? Like, they're not picking me?" Haliburton added, saying he took the Pistons' pick personally.

Tyrese Haliburton took it PERSONAL when the Detroit Pistons passed over him in the NBA Draft

“Killian Hayes… what? They need a point guard, and they’re not picking me?” pic.twitter.com/ujbXt5ggWx
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) May 29, 2025