Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Responds to LeBron James Praise

The superstar for the Lakers had some high praise for the Pacers' point guard.

May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are playing like one of the best teams in the NBA. They have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year.

Indiana was able to take down the Cleveland Cavaliers in just five games, giving them a chance to rest before their opponent in the next round is determined.

The Pacers have been led by their superstar point guard, Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton has been playing some of the best basketball of his career, especially in clutch moments.

This has happened just a few weeks after the rest of the NBA voted him as the most overrated player in the league, something Haliburton has used as motivation.

Read more: Former Pacers Player Claims LeBron James Kept Him from Winning a Title

One of the key figures who has given Haliburton some praise is LeBron James. James is one of the best players to ever play the game, so he knows what it takes to play at a high level.

James appreciated the way Haliburton was playing against his former team. They were Olympic teammates, so they now have a relationship that they didn't previously have.

While on the Pat McAfee Show, Haliburton responded to the praise that James gave him on social media.

"I texted with @KingJames after the game last night and it was pretty cool..

I wanna play the game the right way and I wanna win" ~ @TyHaliburton22 #PMSLive https://t.co/N1gSxcE8bc pic.twitter.com/aXPpVmVSXB

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 14, 2025

"Bron said people would love to play alongside me. If we're winning, people would love to play with me...the Bron thing was super cool. We texted back and forth last night. I've grown a lot of cool relationships from that Olympic experience, and it's been really cool."

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Indiana is only in the position they are in because of how well Haliburton has been playing. When he is playing at his best, the Pacers are a tough team to beat because of the way they play offensively.

Haliburton acknowledged that it was fun to see James give him praise for the way he has been playing. He understands that James was once the best player in the league, so that's very high praise.

Haliburton also knows that the job is not done. The Pacers still have a couple of series to win in order to complete their goals of winning a championship.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.