Here’s Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton on being forever fueled by the doubters (has averaged 18.8 PPG/5.7 RPG/9.8 APG/1.9 TOV/1.4 SPG/0.7 BPG/46.6% FG/59.2% 2-PT/33.3% 3-PT/80.4% FT in sixteen 2025 NBA playoff games).
(via Indiana Pacers):
Tim Reynolds: “Tyrese, congrats on getting here. When or if did you stop being fueled by doubters? You were passed up a few times in the draft, obviously. Was it getting the second contract? Olympic gold medal? Has there been a moment where you’re like, ‘OK, I no longer have to be fueled by this stuff.’ Or in some way is that still a driving force for you?”
Haliburton: “No, I’ve never stopped. It’ll never stop. I think that’s part of my drive. Obviously, I want to be the best. I want to be great. I want to squeeze every ounce of God-given ability that I have to be the best player I can be, but any doubt is always good for me. I love to hear that stuff and I’ll continue to tell you guys in certain moments that it doesn’t matter what people say, but it matters and I enjoy it.
“So I think the greats try to find external motivation as much as they can, and that’s something that’s always worked for me. I understand what you’re saying. It doesn’t solidify who I am. I know who I am. I don’t need anybody to tell me who I am or who I am as a player or person. I’m grounded in myself, and I think a lot of that is through the Lord and Jesus and knowing who I am. But I think that extra doubt, that extra fuel always helps.”
