Tyrese Haliburton takes unwanted crown from Trae Young as NBA peers name Pacers star 'most overrated player'

Tyrese Haliburton is one of the young stars that the NBA has seen ascend the ranks over the last few years. The Pacers point guard has his team in position to make another run in the postseason after making it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. However, the 6-foot-5 guard isn't as respected as other players, being voted as the league's most overrated player by his peers.

Tyrese Haliburton takes the unpleasant mantle from Trae Young, who had received the honor for the past two seasons. While no player wants to be considered the most overrated by his peers, Haliburton appears to have drawn some ire from players around the league. Young is similarly controversial with how he conducts himself, resulting in his thrid straight finish within the top three of voting.

Joining the All-Star guards in the top 20 vote-getters were Rudy Gobert, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Dillon Brooks and others. Looking at the list, a decent variety of players received the most votes around the league for its least enviable honor. For example, Brooks and Green are known irritants for all of their opponents while Gobert is accused of lacking skill, especially offensively.

Tyrese Haliburton's position at the top of the list is interesting. His statistics back him up as one of the best point guards in the league, but the rest of the NBA doesn't seem to be convinced that he is the big deal. Some of it might have to do with the postseason run that vaulted Haliburton into stardom last season.

The Indiana Pacers faced teams with injured stars in the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks in last year's playoffs, which could make their wins seem more superficial in the eyes of other players. Additionally, Haliburton's inclusion on Team USA over players like Jalen Brunson and Jaylen Brown turned heads.

That, combined with the fact that a lingering hamstring injury hampered him in the first half of the season could have players around the league thinking that Haliburton's talent is a fluke. However, the guard has a chance to prove the haters wrong with another successful showing in the playoffs.

How can Tyrese Haliburton prove NBA players wrong in the postseason?

Tyrese Haliburton is off to a good start in the 2025 playoffs, finishing three rebounds short of a triple double in the Pacers' Game 1 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in their first round series. Haliburton had a confrontation with Bucks point guard Damian Lillard during the game, prompting the injured point guard to issue a warning to Haliburton that he is coming back with a vengance.

The Pacers guard is a unique star, lacking the seriousness that the other top players in the game carry themselves with. It is unclear whether or not Haliburton's dinstinction as the game's most overrated player is a product of that or just the frustration he inspires in his opponents with his playstyle.

Regardless of why NBA players think he is the most overrated player in the league, Tyrese Haliburton's talent can't be denied. He and the Indiana Pacers are as dangerous as any team in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but will have their hands full dealing with Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.