Paul George Hypes Tyrese Haliburton as 'The Face of the NBA' amid Pacers' Playoff Run
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George had high praise for Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
"In my eyes, I think he is a superstar," George said on Podcast P with Paul George. "He's the face of the NBA. He is the number one option. He's a set-up point first, but he can be your late-game scorer. He's been a clutch performer late in games. He can be an isolation player, that's just not his calling. I want to see him continue to do this, which I know he will."
Haliburton has helped lead the Pacers to their second consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, currently holding a 3-1 series lead over the New York Knicks.
George is uniquely familiar with Haliburton's situation, as he spent the first seven years of his career in Indiana. He blossomed into a star with the Pacers, making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014.
Now, Indiana is on the verge of clinching its first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.
The Pacers have been dominant throughout their 2025 postseason run, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games during the first round before taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers in another five-game series to advance past the second round.
Haliburton's playoff success has been key for an Indiana squad that only ended the regular season at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference standings.
His postseason averages of 19.4 points, 9.8 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game are all improvements compared to his regular-season marks.
The Pacers own a plus-9.7 net rating with Haliburton on the floor in the playoffs compared to a minus-8.6 net rating without him, the largest swing of any player on the team (via NBA.com).
The 25-year-old may not be the unquestioned face of the league just yet after failing to receive a 2025 MVP vote and having just two All-Star nods under his belt, but he'll earn plenty more recognition if he's able to help the Pacers potentially secure their first Larry O'Brien Trophy.
