Tyrese Haliburton shows leadership with personal revelation

Tyrese Haliburton has the pressure of an entire organization on his shoulders. He's the best player on the Indiana Pacers roster and helped lead them to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance last season.

However, Haliburton hasn't reached his usual standards over the opening months of the new basketball year. The All-Star guard has struggled for confidence and form. In a recent interview with The Athletic's Jared Weiss and Sam Amick, Haliburton admitted he's been dealing with a loss of confidence and self-belief. 

“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. … I feel like my personal struggles were leading to the team’s struggles. 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.”

Mental health is a difficult subject. It's even worse when you're in the public eye. Regardless of whether it's self-doubt, anxiety or depression, they are real issues with wide-reaching implications. Speaking out on his struggles is a sign of strength, especially from a 24-year-old man with a global platform. 

Furthermore, Haliburton's openness is a genuine sign of leadership. By sharing his struggles, he's making himself more approachable in the locker room. Other players, now or in the future, will have the same hurdles to overcome. Having Haliburton as a resource could make a genuine difference. 

It's unlikely Haliburton will struggle much longer. He's clearly pinpointed his difficulties and, by speaking about them, is taking the necessary steps to overcome them. Once he's back to his best, the Pacers will undoubtedly surge up the Eastern Conference and re-emerge as a genuine threat. 

In an era where mental health is finally being openly discussed within society, it's refreshing to see a young, talented, budding superstar open up and further normalize those struggles. Even multi-millionaire sports stars can struggle. They lose their confidence. They have doubts, anxieties and pressure. There's a trickle-down effect of openness and understanding when stars peel back the curtain in this way. 

Haliburton is creating a pathway for others to share their struggles. That type of leadership can't be taught. And that type of bravery is why the Pacers will continue to be a threat in the East for years to come.