It's fair to say Tyrese Haliburton isn't pleased with the NBA's schedule makers.
The Indiana Pacers will begin their 2026-27 season on the road against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans. While on the "Numbers on the Board" podcast, Haliburton expressed his frustration with the NBA's schedule.
Haliburton, who missed the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles, believes his return to the hardwood deserves a much bigger spotlight.
"I looked at the schedule and thought, wow. Nothing personal, my guy Trey Murphy III is there, I love New Orleans, but I was kind of shocked," Haliburton said, via PFSN. "Think of a player you could compare to my level of basketball, someone who’s torn their Achilles tendon and been out for 16 months… that wouldn’t be nationally televised, right?"
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images.
Was Haliburton out of line?
It didn't take long for NBA fans to rip Haliburton's comments. They believe he came off as entitled and downright foolish.
"This fool really think he's a superstar in the league," one fan commented.
"Nobody making it appointment television to see Haliburton & the Indiana Pacers," a second fan wrote.
"This is kind of a bad look for Hali no? I like him as a player but the dude is by no means the face of the league lol. He’s acting like he’s on the same tier as Wemby, Luka, or Jokic," another fan said.
When healthy, Haliburton is undoubtedly an All-Star capable of leading the Pacers on a playoff run. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 18.6 points ands 9.2 assists per game.
At the end of the day though, Haliburton isn't as big of a draw as a LeBron James or Victor Wembanyama.
