Tyrese Haliburton Emerges as the NBA's Newest Villain

Tyrese Haliburton, who plays guard for the Indiana Pacers, appears to be walking a different line as an on-court and pro-wrestling provocateur. His recent behavior has not only been a spectacle to even sports enthusiasts. Still, it has also incited considerable hatred from rival fans, reminiscent of the notorious bullying tactics employed by Pacer great Reggie Miller.

During WWE Smackdown in June at Madison Square Garden, Haliburton poked fun at the New York audience, stating how the Pacers eliminated the Knicks in the playoffs. The New Yorkers’ response was plain and simple; they jeered back at him, which Haliburton appeared to enjoy.

With his antagonist narrative maintaining momentum, Haliburton was back in charge as he did battle on the weekly Tuesday evening episode of WWE NXT some weeks ago in Orlando, where he presided over a contract signing between Ethan Page and Trick Williams.

I’ve come with my teammates from the Pacers for backup, he said in the heated arena, which was received with solid jeering from the Magic fans in attendance. "I get it. I would boo too if I had to be an Orlando Magic fan," Haliburton teased as he fanned the flames of the crowd’s fury even further.

Haliburton Channels Miller

Haliburton, like Miller in the 1990s, understands how to stir the opinions of the crowds, whether insincerely asking them to jeer or cheer. He seemed to have found someone who understood him that way in Haliburton, who used to get booed most of the time for his brilliant performances in New York against the Knicks in the playoffs.

Just as Haliburton delivers his deadly Crossover disses that have become a trademark of his game, he steps into the bad guy’s shoes but also increases the pressure on himself and his team. The standards are exceptionally high, given that the Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in ten seasons last year.

Joe Mazzulla, head coach of the Celtics, even acknowledged the toughness and competitiveness of this team, saying they faced the most significant challenge from Haliburton and During the Celtics’ run to the championship.