Former NBA forward Metta Sandiford-Artest had some massive praise for Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, as he compared him to legendary point guard John Stockton.
“Tyrese Haliburton is special,” Sandiford-Artest told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “He reminds me of John Stockton — not the same type of player, but the same type of impact. He’s a Hall of Famer in the making.”
Stockton has the most assists in NBA history, and he led the NBA in assists per game in nine different seasons during his storied NBA career. A Hall of Famer and 11-time All-NBA selection, Stockton made the NBA Finals twice in his career, although never won an NBA title.
Haliburton is in his first NBA Finals in his career, and he’s already made a signature play, hitting a game-winning shot in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pacers guard is also one of the best passers in the league right now, as he led the NBA in assists per game in the 2023-24 season, averaging 10.9 per game. That was the second straight season that Haliburton averaged over 10 assists per game.
In the 2024-25 regular season, Haliburton averaged 9.2 assists per game across 73 contests. He’s a two-time All-Star and he was selected to represent Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It’s clear that Haliburton is on a path to stardom in the NBA, and his ability to move the ball and push the pace has made the Pacers one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana made the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and it went a step further this season, reaching the NBA Finals. Now, the Pacers have a chance to capture a title with Haliburton leading the way.
However, Haliburton is going to need to step up if the Pacers want to beat the Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals. OKC had a terrific regular season, winning 68 games, and it is widely viewed as the favorite to win this series.
Haliburton is averaging just 15.5 points and 6.0 assists per game in the Finals while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. He’s only taking 13.0 shots per game, and the Pacers may need their star guard to be more aggressive as a scorer if they want to beat the Thunder.
Game 3 between the Pacers and Thunder is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 11 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana.
