OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams sees a lot of his team in Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers. After Williams addressed similarities between the Thunder and Pacers, he explained what makes Haliburton a special player. Haliburton, who entered the postseason averaging 18.6 points, posted 21.0 points, 10.3 assists, and 2.5 steals in six games against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Williams says Haliburton's production is a testament to the guard's confidence, which played a significant role in the Pacers clinching the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years.
“What makes him very good is that he's very confident,” Williams said. “To be able to play as well as he's been playing through a lot of the overrated stuff, and for him to be able to play through that, you've got to tip your hat to him for that. Just an extremely confident individual, and I think that, regardless of who you are, makes you dangerous.”
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers' unexpected run to becoming Eastern Conference champions is one of the more interesting storylines heading into this year's NBA Finals.
Jalen Williams sees a tight-knit group in Pacers, Thunder
Thunder forward Jalen Williams celebrates after his team defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves during game five of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Similar to his team's vibes, Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams sees the Pacers players as a close-knit group. For Williams, that's an essential element for a championship team, and it's no surprise that the last two teams standing in the NBA playoffs shared that trait.
“When everybody's allowed to be themselves, I think you get the best growth from your team, and it allows everybody to grow in their own space,” Williams said. “When you're kind of the same age or in the same part of your career as everybody, it's very easy to empathize with your teammates when you're going through something, cause you've either been through it or may start going through it. So, it allows everybody to help each other. Through that, we're able to grow through these experiences.
“Get better day in and day out. We've all had the same approach. I think that's why we're as good as we are. I think the Pacers probably have something to do with that as well. Obviously, them being younger, you see, they have fun playing with each other, too. So, it might be a little bit of a theme,” Williams concluded.
The Thunder will host the Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.