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Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton played down his recruiting efforts during the 2024 Summer Olympics to some degree but made his pitch on behalf of the franchise during an interview Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show.
“The story about me recruiting players to Indiana got blown out of proportion. They made it seem like I was the only one doing it, but everyone was recruiting,” he said. “I just play in the smallest market, so when I do it, it gets magnified. That’s fine, though. Indiana is a great market. It’s a basketball state. We’ve got a good thing going here, so if anyone wants to play with me, they’ll have to come to Indiana. I’m not going anywhere.”
The United States national team roster for the Paris Games was filled with a bevy of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers. In the aftermath of Team USA’s gold medal victory, Haliburton quipped he “recruited every guy on that team basically.”
This is not a new tactic since the Olympics present a rare opportunity to bring many of the NBA’s best players together outside of the season. The seeds of the Miami Heat’s Big Three era were planted in 2008 when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all competed on the national team.
The Pacers have never been a draw for marquee talent outside of the organization, and people around the NBA have used the city of Indianapolis’ “Naptown” nickname derisively to say there isn’t much to do.
Perhaps Haliburton, who’s already a two-time All-Star, can help to change that perception. Getting Pascal Siakam to sign a $189 million extension was a bit a coup for the Pacers and he may not be the last notable name to sign on to the organization’s long-term vision.
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Publish date : 2024-09-12 06:16:00
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