Paul George believes Tyrese Haliburton is a 'perfect' fit with Indiana Pacers, reflects on his time with franchise
INDIANAPOLIS — Paul George was back in Indianapolis over the weekend, the city where his NBA career began. The nine-time All-Star was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2010 and was an All-Star four times for the blue and gold. He knows the Circle City well.
The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals two times with George leading the way. He ascended from a raw rookie to a star in Indianapolis and grew alongside a team of defensive-minded vets. He was a great fit with those squads.
George looked back on those days on Saturday. During 2024 NBA All-Star game media day, the now Los Angeles Clippers forward was asked about being back in Indy. "I think just the group that I got drafted here with. Learned so much from them," George said of his fond memories before rattling off several names from those teams. Roy Hibbert, George Hill, Danny Granger, and David West were some of the first players he mentioned. "Those guys, I learned so much from."
During his rookie season, the California native averaged 7.8 points per game and was an inaccurate jump shooter. He had some impressive moments that made it clear he had potential, but few thought he would explode into an offensive master.
The following season, the 2010 lottery pick was an above-average shooter, and he became an All-Star in his third season, winning Most Improved Player that year. Suddenly, George was a star, and those Pacers teams were really good.
"Honestly, I think it was just a great time for me to be here," George said. "Great memories, great memories. We had a great run."
The superstar wing spent seven years with the franchise, though one of them was cut dramatically short due to an injury he suffered with Team USA. He appeared in 448 games for Indiana, where he averaged 18.1 points per game. In 2013, he was one game away from leading the Pacers to the NBA Finals. George previously shared that he believes he could have led the blue and gold to a later Finals if it weren't for his injury.
A lot of time has passed since 2017, when George was traded from Indiana to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Clippers star still hears boos when he visits Indy for regular season battles, but the reception for him was better during the All-Star game.
George now has as many seasons away from Indiana as he does with the franchise. His Clippers are one of the premier squads in the NBA, and they crushed the Pacers back in December. George had 27 points that night.
Across from him, Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton had one of his worst games of the season. Haliburton, who was the face of the NBA during All-Star weekend, finished with eight points and 11 assists during the embarrassing defeat. But that didn't lower George's opinion of Indiana's star guard.
Instead, the Fresno State product gushed about Haliburton when asked on Saturday. "One of the best at just managing games, taking over games, playmaking. For how young he is, he's so poised and polished. You don't find that often, guys that figure that part out so early in their game. One of the best assists-to-turnovers ratios. Very impressive," he said. The two linked up in the previous offseason for a conversation on George's podcast, Podcast P.
Haliburton is averaging 21.8 points and 11.7 assists per game this season, and he was an All-Star starter for the first time on Sunday night. His status in the league is rising fast.
George, who was rumored last month to be of interest to the Pacers in a transaction, believes that Haliburton fits Indianapolis extremely well. "Perfectly, perfectly. He's a huge personality. Very easily marketable," George said of Haliburton's fit in Indy. "So I think it's perfect, it's right in line with Indiana having a face like Tyrese. Great kid, I think Indiana found really a star for a very long time."
The two stars may never be teammates, but Haliburton and George clearly have some relationship and a respect for each other. George scored 13 points in the All-Star game, which the Eastern Conference won, and his Clippers resume play on Thursday.
- Tyrese Haliburton spends All-Star weekend as the face of the NBA, winning comes next. CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers continue to prioritize long-term success on the day of 2024 trade deadline, even after Pascal Siakam deal. CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers Owner Herb Simon named a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 finalist. CLICK HERE.
- Tyrese Haliburton shows off in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game with a home crowd watching. CLICK HERE.
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