Fans have taken to social media to wish Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton a “happy sixth birthday” as Haliburton was born on February 29. Haliburton, 24, has technically had six birthdays. Typically he would celebrate his birthday on February 28. The Pacers, as well as Team USA and Iowa State, were amongst the accounts jumping on the trend of wishing Haliburton a happy birthday. Around 363,000 Americans celebrate their birthday on February 29. Do you know anyone who has a Leap Year birthday? Let us know in the comments.
Haliburton is having a standout season. He is averaging 21.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 11.6 assists a game. His assists mark is a league-leading mark at the time of writing. He is also a top-40 point-getter with his 21.4 scoring mark. The Pacers are, at the time of writing, are 34-26. However, that is only good enough for seventh in an incredibly stacked Eastern Conference. Haliburton recently appeared in the All-Star and gained a major new contributor in Pascal Siakam.
Elsewhere, fans continue to roast Haliburton’s pre-game fits. The latest target of the internet’s mockery was Haliburton’s bulky knee-length silver coat, complete with shoulder pads. Fans quickly compared the look to M. Bison, the iconic Street Fighter villain. Within minutes of the comparison being made, someone had recolored the photo of Haliburton to Bison’s iconic red, as well as adding the villain’s signature hat.
Of course, this is just the most recent time that Haliburton’s outfit has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. In January, he was pulled into the beef between Yasiin Bey and Drake after fans noted that a sidelined Haliburton looked a lot like the artist formerly known as Mos Def. “Mos Def hearing “Passionfruit” in Target,” one person wrote on X over a photo of Haliburton appearing to protest a call at a Pacers game. Haliburton has not publicly commented on the pre-fit roasting.
After seeing Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić sit out the Dallas Mavericks’ 2022/23 regular-season finale with the playoffs still attainable for the team, the NBA decided to do something about load management. Baked into the new CBA ratified during the offseason was a revision to the player participation policy. These clauses were designed to keep the league’s best players on the court for as much of the season as possible. These rules revolved around the use of “star players” (defined as an All-Star or All-NBAer from the past three seasons).
Teams can only rest one “star player” per game.
Teams cannot rest any “star player” for nationally televised games or in-season tournament games.
Players must play at least 20 minutes in at least 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards such as MVP and All-NBA teams.
However, the NBA’s plan to create a better TV product has created a worse basketball product. The players are unhappy, the fans are unhappy. And when the biggest players in the league, such as presumptive MVP Joel Embiid and rising star Tyrese Haliburton, are openly criticizing league policies, it might be a sign to re-evaluate said policies.
If asked, most players will say they that don’t prioritize postseason awards over their long-term health and season-long contributions to their team. However, the league has now forced them into a situation where those awards, nice bonuses to a season well-played, are dependent on an arbitrary participation percentage. Joel Embiid is having one of the greatest seasons in NBA history. But if he will be ruled ineligible for the MVP award if he misses six more games this season. What meaning does the MVP award actually have if the league’s best player is ineligible because he played 64 games and not 65?
Furthermore, the rule can have major financial impacts for players. Tyrese Haliburton is having the best season of his young career. However, the Rest Rule means that the Pacers star could lose out on $40 million if he is ruled ineligible for All-NBA team selection. Earning an All-NBA selection would see him fulfill a rookie contract clause that would raise the ceiling of his max contract extension by the aforementioned $40 million. However, Haliburton has struggled with a spate of midseason injuries. As a result, Haliburton will need to play in 30 of the Pacers’ remaining 34 games to be eligible. Haliburton has been particularly vocal about the rule, calling it “stupid” and “something that the owners want”.
The end result is further disincentivizing players from pursuing postseason awards. If the eligibility criteria are this strict, why would any player play with the awards in mind over prioritizing their career longevity? It’s a sentiment that Embiid himself has already acknowledged. “The goal is to be ready for the playoffs. If I can’t meet the criteria of 65 games … as long as I’m ready to be dominant in that time in April, that’s all I care about,” Embiid told reporters in January.
Meanwhile, the rule ignores a crucial reality about professional sport – player rotation is vital to long-term success. The NBA season is 82 games long with multiple games for each team in a given week. And given the ebbs and floes of a typical season, every game is not made equal. Take Embiid’s Sixers – between February 23 and March 3, four of their five games are nationally televised. According to the NBA’s Rest Rule, that means that Embiid must played all of four of those games for at least 20 minutes. Howeer, he could be rested for the one non-televised game against Charlotte. Sounds reasonable right? But things immediately fall apart when a team has more than one “star player”. The Timberwolves only have two televised games over that same span but they have 4 “star players” as well as four games against playoff teams.
What this leads to is 82-game seasons becoming a war of attrition. The end of the season should be the most exciting time of the year. Games often decide divisional battles and playoff seedings. But if players are being forced to play as much as they can physically handle, fans get treated to season-ending slogfests between guys trying to fill league-mandated quotas while also trying to converse something for the playoffs. While not a 1:1 comparison – no one bats an eye at rotation in a sport like soccer. This is despite soccer teams playing vastily shorter seasons. Manchester City won three trophies across five competitions last season and still only played 61 games.
As a result of the Rest Rule, the NBA is attempting to turn every player into an ironman. Furthermore, this is done for no other reason than the owners wanting players to “earn” every cent of their contract.
Barring an U-turn from the league, the Rest Rule is likely here to stay. But that doesn’t mean it has to remain the same. A more lenient eligibility cap would go a long way to reduce the ironman mentality that many players are currently facing. A more drastic solution would be to expand the size of NBA rosters to reduce the level of attrition imposed on squads.
But do you think – are you a fan of the rest rule? Are you siding with the players and want it gone next season? Let us know in the comments.
Another day, another Tyrese Haliburton pre-game fit getting roasted online. This time, the target of the internet’s mockery was Haliburton’s bulky knee-length silver coat, complete with shoulder pads. Fans quickly compared the look to M. Bison, the iconic Street Fighter villain. Within minutes of the comparison being made, someone had recolored the photo of Haliburton to Bison’s iconic red, as well as adding the villain’s signature hat.
Of course, this is just the most recent time that Haliburton’s outfit has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. In January, he was pulled into the beef between Yasiin Bey and Drake after fans noted that a sidelined Haliburton looked a lot like the artist formerly known as Mos Def. “Mos Def hearing “Passionfruit” in Target,” one person wrote on X over a photo of Haliburton appearing to protest a call at a Pacers game.
Elsewhere, Haliburton was officially named an All-Star starter this week. It’s the second All-Star nod of his young career after also earning the honor in 2023. Haliburton joins Giannis, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, and Jayson Tatum. The All-Star Game takes place on February 18 on Haliburton’s home court in Indianapolis.
Earlier in the season, Haliburton got a shoutout from Lillard after hitting the Bucks star’s signature celebration against him. “I learned as a kid, when you dish it out, you’ve got to be willing to take it. For as many times as I’ve done it to people, I can’t be upset when somebody else does it, you know what I mean. I think that’s also a sign of respect and acknowledgment for knowing my history and knowing what I do. I didn’t mind it. It was what it was. I’ve also known that, you know, when you are having your moment, it’s important to be careful, to be humble in your moments because you just never know how the tables are going to turn or when they are going to turn. I respected it. We shook hands after the game. I wasn’t moved by it left or right,” Lillard said.
Fans online have compared a recent image of Tyrese Haliburton in a flat cap and puffer jacket to the signature fashion of Yasiin Bey. However, more specifically, fans have used the candid photos to reference Bey’s ongoing beef with Drake. “Mos Def hearing “Passionfruit” in Target,” one person wrote on X over a photo of Haliburton appearing to protest a call at a recent Pacers game.
The comments are a hilarious addition to the feud between the two rappers. Bey recently said that Drake’s music is the sort of music that’s perfect for a Target run. Obviously, Drizzy, who is also beefing with Metro Boomin, didn’t take too kindly to the comments from the rapper and actor. And now one of the NBA’s biggest rising stars is catching heat just for having a nice sideline fit. Haliburton, who is likely set to be named an All-Star this week, is currently nursing a hamstring injury.
Additionally, amid the beef, Drake added to the growing collection of “tripod bro” videos, giving fans a vlog in which he shows off his nighttime routine. Drizzy mixes himself a drink, takes in some art, hits the hookah, and goes swimming. The entire thing is weirdly neon giving much of the apparent lighting in his home. Furthermore, he soundtracked the entire thing with “Virginia Beach”, a track from 2023’s For All The Dogs. The tripod bro trend has gone viral in recent weeks, with male lifestyle vloggers doing “a day in the life” style content.
However, there were also layers to Drake’s vlog. He tagged Drew Walls, a lifestyle influencer who is often seen going to Target in his videos. This, combined with the inclusion of “Virginia Beach”, appeared to be more shots at Bey for his aforementioned comments. However, as a result, fans are now clamoring for Drake to do another video. This time, they want content showing him going to Target.
Damian Lillard told reporters he had no problem with Tyrese Haliburton hitting his iconic “Dame Time” celebration against him. “I learned as a kid, when you dish it out, you’ve got to be willing to take it. For as many times as I’ve done it to people, I can’t be upset when somebody else does it, you know what I mean. I think that’s also a sign of respect and acknowledgment for knowing my history and knowing what I do. I didn’t mind it. It was what it was. I’ve also known that, you know, when you are having your moment, it’s important to be careful, to be humble in your moments because you just never know how the tables are going to turn or when they are going to turn. I respected it. We shook hands after the game. I wasn’t moved by it left or right,” Lillard said.
Haliburton hit the celebration late in the Pacers’ win over the Bucks in the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament. Haliburton, who is already generating plenty of MVP hype, was once again white-hot against Milwaukee. He had a team-high 25 points, also adding 15 assists to the stat sheet as the Pacers won by nine. They will face the Lakers in the tournament final on Saturday.
Damian Lillard says he respected Tyrese Haliburton pulling out the “Dame Time” wrist tap but Lillard also notes to “be humble” when you’re having your moment because you never know when it ends https://t.co/2SAxQNYmsPpic.twitter.com/Ts043w25Un
However, it was a less successful night for Zion Williamson on the other side of the bracket. He put up just 13/2/3 in the Pelicans’ 44-point blowout loss to the Lakers. Despite this, Williamson was the first to admit that he didn’t play his best game. “I got to be better. I got to be more aggressive, finding my shot. And I got to do more things to get my team going. I think I was too laid-back tonight, and I just can’t do that. And defensively I got to be better,” Williamson said.
On the other side of the ball, LeBron James had one of his biggest games of the year. LeBron looked ageless as he put up 30/5/8 to power the Lakers into the title game against Indiana. However, that’s now two games in a row that Williamson has struggled to break double digits. In the Pels’ quarterfinal win over Sacramento, Williamson was held to just 10 points. “I have a problem where I literally just try to hunt the best shot possible every time, but my teammates, they expect more from me. I expect more from myself. But I got to just trust my game. I just got to be more aggressive. I think if I’m more aggressive that energy will definitely carry over,” Williamson added.
In a stellar display of timing, Tyrese Haliburton, the NBA’s assists leader, secured his first career triple-double just as the Indiana Pacers became the first team to qualify for the NBA Inseason tournament in Vegas. Haliburton’s remarkable performance included 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists, propelling the Pacers to victory against the East-leading Boston Celtics.
Making history, Haliburton joined elite company, including Nikola Jokic and Grant Hill, as the only players aged 23 or younger to record 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 0 turnovers in a game since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78. The Pacers, trailing with 48 points at halftime, exploded with a 74-point second half, marking their 12th 70+ point half this season, a record for the first 19 games.
Haliburton’s standout performance climaxed with a memorable 4-point play, solidifying his place in the annals of clutch plays and further establishing his reputation as a rising star in the NBA.
In the world of basketball, rising stars often capture the attention of fans, analysts, and sponsors alike. One such name that has been making waves in the NBA is Tyrese Haliburton. As of 2023, the young NBA sensation’s net worth is estimated to be around $5 million US dollars, according to Sportskeeda.
Tyrese Haliburton, with his impeccable skills and dedication, has established himself as one of the best young players in the league. His prowess on the court, especially as a traditional point guard, is evident in his exceptional passing and shooting abilities. Currently, he is showcasing his talents with the Indiana Pacers, a team that has recognized his potential and made him a cornerstone of their rebuilding efforts.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 11: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers attempts a shot while being guarded by Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 11, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Pacers’ faith in Haliburton is evident in the whopping 5-year, $260 million contract they’ve awarded him. Such a significant investment in a young player speaks volumes about his potential and the expectations the franchise has for him in the coming years.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 11: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers reacts in the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 11, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
While his NBA contract forms a significant chunk of his net worth, it’s worth noting that Haliburton’s earnings don’t stop there. In his rookie season, he signed a deal with Nike. Although he doesn’t have his own shoe line as of now, given the trend of NBA players landing lucrative shoe deals, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Haliburton join the ranks soon. With his growing popularity and consistent performance on the court, the future holds the promise of multiple endorsement deals for the young star.
Apart from his earnings on the court and through endorsements, Haliburton has shown a keen interest in real estate. He recently made headlines by purchasing a house for his mother in Indianapolis, a gesture that garnered much appreciation on social media. Additionally, he has expressed intentions to buy a new residence in Indianapolis for himself.
Moreover, Haliburton has a penchant for cars. His collection boasts of models like the Land Rover Range Rover, Nissan Rogue Spirit, and Kia Seltos, reflecting his taste for luxury and style.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 10: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles as Bruce Brown #1 of the Brooklyn Nets defends during the second half at Barclays Center on April 10, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets won 134-126. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Despite his young age, Haliburton has displayed a mature sense of responsibility towards the community. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, he reached out on social media, seeking local clothing brands to support. While detailed information about his charitable endeavors might be sparse, it’s evident that Haliburton is keen on making a positive impact off the court.
Conclusion
Tyrese Haliburton’s journey in the NBA is a testament to his talent, hard work, and dedication. With a net worth of $5 million in 2023 and a promising career ahead, he is undoubtedly on the path to becoming one of the league’s most valuable players. As fans and basketball enthusiasts, all eyes will be on Haliburton to see how he leverages his potential in the coming years, both on and off the court.
Matt Barnes is someone who calls out people for being lame, and that is exactly what he did this week with Wally Szczerbiak. For those who don’t know, Szczerbiak had some choice words for Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. The former NBA star was straight up hating on the kid which subsequently upset people.
“Mr. Supposed, wannabe, fake All-Star with the big miss there… Last chance, down 3 for the wannabe All-Star,” Szczerbiak said. “He’s in his 2nd year, he’s a very good player. He’s not gonna make the All-Star team.”
Wally Szczerbiak goes in on Tyrese Haliburton:
“Mr. Supposed, wannabe, fake All-Star with the big miss there… Last chance, down 3 for the wannabe All-Star. He’s in his 2nd year, he’s a very good player. He’s not gonna make the All-Star team.”pic.twitter.com/exSffecp9C
Barnes went on All The Smoke and hit Szczerbiak with a reality check on his comments. Overall, Barnes just wishes that former players had more respect for the current generation. Moreover, he thinks what the Knicks broadcaster did was simply out of line, and makes no sense.
“This bum as motherf*cker Wally Szczerbiak has just completely disrespected Tyrese Haliburton, who’s leading the league in assists, calling him a fake All-Star and fake this and fake that, and it’s just like, why?” Barnes said. “Like, what’s the point of that? Like, what do you get out of that?”
“I thought what Wally Szczerbiak did was some bitch ass shit”
Following this news, Haliburton got to speak with Taylor Rook of Bleacher Report. During this conversation, Haliburton was asked about the Szczerbiak slander. Overall, Haliburton isn’t fazed by it, although he barely knows who the former NBA player is.
“I know the name Wally Szczerbiak, I couldn’t tell you where he played, I couldn’t tell you what he did,” Haliburton said.
Tyrese Haliburton responds to Wally Szczerbiak calling him a “wannabe All-Star”
Hopefully, people start to put some respect on Haliburton’s name. He is a phenomenal young star who is showing himself to be a more than capable young man. If he does make the All-Star team, then it will most definitely be deserved.
Let us know what you think of this controversy, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from around the sports world.
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