Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton celebrates while playing for Team USA in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup on September 5, 2023. (Mandatory Photo Credit: USA Basketball)
Tyrese Haliburton reaffirms hope to play for Team USA in 2024 Paris Olympics
INDIANAPOLIS — At NBA All-Star weekend, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reaffirmed his desire to play in the 2024 Paris Olympics for Team USA.
"No change. My goal is to play for USA until the wheels fall off. If I get that call to go, I'll be there," Haliburton said this past Saturday.
Haliburton played for Team USA last offseason. He was a part of the team that finished fourth in the FIBA Men's Basketball World Cup. During that stint, he shared his initial desires to be an Olympian for the red, white, and blue.
He was one of the best players on that World Cup squad, which was led by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. "It's an absolute honor to be able to do this," Haliburton said of playing for Team USA at the time. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.6 assists per game in the World Cup.
Last month, Haliburton was named a finalist for the Olympic team. He was one of 41 players chosen, and 12 of them will be on the Team USA roster in Paris come late July.
Haliburton hopes he can be one of those dozen players. "Well, I'm not on the team yet. If I were on the team, it would mean the world to me," Haliburton shared the day before playing in the 2024 NBA All-Star game. "Obviously I had a lot of fun with Team USA last year, and we didn't get the result we wanted. To be part of the team this year and have a chance at a little bit of revenge or a little bit of get-back, that would mean the world.
"I think, as a kid who grew up in the 2000s, I always wanted to play for Team USA after watching the Redeem Team with LeBron [James] and those guys. And watching D-Wade's doc for them on Netflix, and I was at the premiere with D-Wade. It would mean a lot moving forward," he added. Haliburton has always been a basketball junky.
Beyond last year's World Cup, Haliburton has Team USA experience from 2019 with the U19 National Team as a part of the U19 Men's World Cup. International play has been a part of his basketball life ever since becoming a pro.
Being on an Olympic team is a massive step up, though, and Haliburton hopes he can be a part of it. Team USA won the gold medal in the 2020 Olympics, so whoever is chosen for the squad will hope to repeat that feat.
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- One-on-one with former Indiana Pacers great Metta Sandiford-Artest (Ron Artest) during NBA All-Star weekend. CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers handle Detroit Pistons to open post-All-Star break play. CLICK HERE.
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