A few months ago, an anonymous poll came out revealing that Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was deemed to be the most overrated player in the NBA. Now, the sample size of that poll renders that exercise as nothing more than bait, but it revealed just how poorly Haliburton was perceived around the league. Haliburton was called a “wannabe All-Star” in the past, so it's not as if this is an isolated incident.

But all Haliburton has done amid the vitriol hurled towards him is play winning basketball that currently has the Pacers in need of just two more wins to win the 2025 NBA championship. He's been phenomenal in this year's playoffs, especially in the clutch: he has a game-winner in each of the four playoff rounds, and he's become beloved among fans for the way he comes through in the biggest moments.

Especially when considering the way he's turned the Pacers' fortunes around since coming over via trade in February 2022, TJ McConnell could not believe just how asinine this perception of Haliburton as being “overrated” is.

“Certainly unfair. Not true. The whole ‘overrated' thing. I still can't wrap my mind around it. It’s one of the worst takes I’ve ever heard in my life,” McConnell told Justine Termine and Eddie Johnson on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “The guy is the furthest thing from overrated.”

TJ McConnell further showers Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton with praise

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McConnell has been teammates with Haliburton since the Pacers acquired him in the Domantas Sabonis trade, and he's seen how much growth Haliburton has gone through in his time thus far in Indianapolis. And the new-age Point God is certainly able to bring out the best in his teammates, with McConnell clearly willing to go to war for him.

“He's an incredible teammate. He's shown the world throughout these playoffs what kind of player we see on a daily basis. But people don't see what type of person and teammate he is. When someone says stuff like that about our franchise guy, you wanna go to bat for him every single day. He's done a great job of blocking out all that noise and just focusing on our team. That's who Ty is,” McConnell added.

The Pacers will be facing the biggest challenge of their season on Monday night. After blowing a fourth-quarter lead in Game 4 on Friday, they will look to regain control of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder tomorrow night at 8:30 PM EST.