LeBron Defends Tyrese Haliburton, 'Ridiculous' Critics Call Pacers Star 'Overrated'

LeBron James scoffed at the idea that Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton could be considered "overrated" on Tuesday's episode of his Mind the Game podcast.

When asking about the Pacers' development around the 13:25 mark, James told Haliburton, "Obviously, you evolved as a player, obviously. As overrated as you are."

The Los Angeles Lakers star laughed and added, "As overrated as you are, as everyone would like to put, which is ridiculous."

Haliburton and James worked together on Team USA during the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where James started but Haliburton was given minimal playing time during the team's gold medal run.

James praised Haliburton in another Mind the Game episode posted last June, ahead of the Pacers' NBA Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as having a positive attitude regardless of how much time he saw on the court in Paris.

"You look at what's going on with the Pacers... you get why they are the team that they are, and it starts with the head of the snake, we know that. And that's with Hali," James said at the time.

James then expressed disappointment later that month when Haliburton went down in Game 7 of the Finals with the Achilles tear that has sidelined him for the 2025-26 season.

Haliburton finished out the postseason having averaged 17.3 points and 8.6 assists per game during a playoff run highlighted by clutch moments like his overtime-forcing three-pointer against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals opener.

The Indiana guard said on Mind the Game he had just started playing full-court 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 drills about eight months into his rehab process. The Pacers are sitting at No. 14 in the East with a 11-36 record so far while playing without Haliburton for the first time in four seasons.