Video: Carmelo Anthony Reveals He Urged Knicks to Draft Tyrese Haliburton in 2020

As Tyrese Haliburton prepares to lead the Indiana Pacers into the semifinals of the NBA's in-season tournament on Thursday, Carmelo Anthony revealed he tried to get the budding superstar on the New York Knicks during the 2020 NBA draft.

On 7PM in Brooklyn, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment, (starts at 36:25 mark), Anthony said he was "trying" to get the Knicks to select Haliburton three years ago.

"[Tyrese] Haliburton will be someone I always like," Anthony said. "I was trying to get him with the Knicks years ago, saying 'Please draft him, please!' I wasn't even on the Knicks but I was like y'all better draft him. Y'all need him! He's really good man!"

It's not clear from how Anthony says it if he was actually talking to the Knicks, or if he was trying to manifest it through the power of will. He wasn't technically under contract when the 2020 draft took place, as he signed a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers four days after the event.

Anthony spent seven seasons with the Knicks from 2011 to '17. He had a successful run with the organization, making the All-Star team in each of his six full seasons with the club. They made the playoffs three times but only advanced past the first round once.

The Knicks used their top pick (No. 8 overall) in the 2020 draft to select Obi Toppin. Haliburton went to the Sacramento Kings four picks later, but he was traded to the Indiana Pacers midway through his second season as part of the Domantas Sabonis deal.

Haliburton's star has risen off the charts since the start of the 2022-23 season. He averaged a double-double with 20.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in 56 starts last season.

The 23-year-old has gotten even better this season, averaging 26.9 points on 52.1 percent shooting and an NBA-high 11.9 assists per game in 17 starts. He had a triple-double in Monday's 122-112 win over the Boston Celtics in the in-season tournament quarterfinals.

Even though the Knicks didn't get Haliburton, they're doing just fine at point guard with Jalen Brunson deserving strong consideration for his first career All-Star appearance this season.