Ten months ago, Tyrese Haliburton sat on the bench during the Olympic gold medal game, watching Stephen Currybury France with a near-half-court dagger and a signature “night-night” celebration. Back then, Haliburton was more spectator than star, a minor contributor on a stacked Team USA roster.

Fast forward to June 2025, and he’s the centerpiece of the Indiana Pacers, the unlikely face of a Finals run no one saw coming. Even the critics who once ridiculed his quirky jumper and questioned his ceiling.

Early this season, Haliburton struggled, fueling doubts that he was anything more than a good-not-great player. Opposing fans chanted “Overrated!”, amplified by a players’ poll on The Athletic that dismissed his stardom. His Olympic cameo had added to the skepticism.

But that version of Haliburton has vanished. Through the 2025 playoffs and into a stunning Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he’s transformed, not just silencing the noise but owning the spotlight. The awkward shot is dropping. The confidence is real. And the “overrated” jeers have turned into MVP murmurs.