Tyrese Haliburton Jokes He ‘Recruited Every Guy’ on USA Olympic Roster to Join Pacers

Zach BacharContributor IAugust 30, 2024

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Tyrese Haliburton joked about recruiting his Olympic teammates to join him on the Indiana Pacers during the 2024 Paris Games.

“I recruited every guy on that team basically,” Haliburton said, per Justin Marville of the Oshkosh Northwestern. “Anyone that wants to come join us in Indiana, I’m all for it.”

The star point guard was behind Stephen Curry and Jrue Holiday on Team USA’s depth chart, appearing in just three of the United States’ six Olympic contests.

Haliburton averaged 2.7 points in 8.8 minutes per game, although he shot 3-5 from the field and 2-4 from behind the arc. He didn’t take his lack of playing time too seriously, as he poked fun at himself while showcasing his gold medal on social media afterwards.

Tyrese Haliburton @TyHaliburton22When you ain’t do nun on the group project and still get an A🏅 pic.twitter.com/xpshYZhMyA

While Haliburton joked about asking his U.S. teammates to join him in Indiana, stars joining forces after playing alongside each other at the Olympics isn’t unheard of.

LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade were all part of the United States men’s national team that won gold at the 2008 Olympics. Two years later, they teamed up on the Miami Heat and won two championships while making four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

Haliburton already has some experience with attracting star teammates, as the Pacers added Pascal Siakam in a deal with the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 17. Siakam averaged 21.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game following the trade, helping Indiana make a surprise appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

NBA @NBAPascal Siakam from deep for 26 PTS 🎯

Indy looks to even the series 1-1 in Game 2 of the East Finals on ESPN pic.twitter.com/kMO3sYOgaS

Even though the Pacers were ultimately swept by the Boston Celtics, the two-time All-Star still returned to the organization on a four-year contract worth $189.5 million in the offseason.

If Indiana is able to build upon its playoff run during the upcoming 2024-25 season, it’s not difficult to imagine disgruntled stars wanting to switch teams and play with Haliburton in the future.