It's the sports crossover you never knew you needed.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
In this story:
Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton didn't get to the Eastern Conference finals all by himself—he had the support of his teammates, coaches and one decorated WNBA legend.
Haliburton had a conversation with four-time WNBA champ and Hall-of-Famer Sue Bird before the NBA playoffs started, according to Taylor Rooks's newly aired interview with Bird. Rooks revealed that she spoke to the Pacers guard during Indiana's first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks last month, and Haliburton told her that he had reached out to Bird for advice on when to be a scorer and when to be a facilitator.
Bird confirmed this and had some glowing words for Haliburton after his historic triple-double to help lift the Pacers to a crucial Game 4 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
"Clearly, he's figured it out," Bird told Rooks. "I think my favorite part about watching Tyrese in this run is yes, the clutch plays, the big moments. But it's been a little up and down at times, and that's the reality. I think a lot of times you talk about top players, you talk about All-Stars, and you know you see their great play. But it always comes with a bad quarter, a bad game, a bad stretch. And it's really how you respond to that."
Haliburton got Bird's contact info through Pacers assistant coach Jenny Boucek, who put the two in touch a few years ago, according to Indiana Fever reporter Scott Agness. Being good friends with Caitlin Clark also probably doesn't hurt his WNBA connections, either.
Haliburton will be looking to book his first ever trip to the NBA finals in Game 5 against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, with the Pacers in the hunt for their first NBA championship in franchise history.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
Published 33 Minutes Ago
KRISTEN WONG
Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.