Playing for Team USA in the Olympics is one of the greatest honors an NBA star can receive, but it isn’t always easy.
Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers knows that all too well, and he is opening up about how tough it was to receive negative feedback from fans during the 2024 Paris games.
“I was in a dark place. My joy for basketball just wasn’t there. And I’m just such a guy who, basketball, I love the game. I love basketball. I feel like I’m going to be around basketball for the rest of my life. I am just one of those guys, and [the joy] just wasn’t there,” Haliburton said.
Tyrese Haliburton says Olympic trolling from social media took his joy for basketball, leading him to seek help from a sports psychologist.
“I was in a dark place. My joy for basketball just wasn’t there. And I’m just such a guy who, basketball, I love the game. I love… pic.twitter.com/uFcC3evXVA
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 15, 2025
Team USA had a plethora of great players during the 2024 Olympics, including LeBron James, Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, and more.
Haliburton took a backseat to all of them and didn’t spend much time on the court as the Americans fought through the competition for their gold medal.
People online let him hear it, making fun of his lack of minutes and impact.
All of that put Haliburton in an uncomfortable headspace at the start of 2024-25.
His negative mindset was reflected in his numbers, which were lackluster at the beginning of the season.
Haliburton revealed that he sought professional help during that dark period and started to talk with a sports psychologist.
He believes that admitting what he felt allowed him to take the right steps to move forward.
Obviously, things turned around, and Haliburton and his Pacers went all the way to the Finals.
By the end of the season, Haliburton was enjoying a shower of praises from the same people who poked fun at him less than a year before.
He’s in a better mental spot now, but sadly, he won’t be with his team during the 2025-26 campaign because of his injury.
His body might not be in perfect shape just yet, but thankfully Haliburton’s mind is.
NEXT: Analyst Highlights Pacers Veteran's Incredible Playoff Numbers