Tyrese Haliburton getting more national shine — featured in NBA's latest spot and guest hosting a popular podcast, interviewing Barack Obama
Just in the last week, Haliburton starred in his first PUMA commercial, was featured in an NBA Cup promo, and he interviewed Barack Obama. This after he also showcased in a recent ESPN+ documentary,
Tyrese Haliburton has never been shy about talking.
He’s loved sports entertainment since he was a kid, growing up and watching WWE alongside his uncle Gary. Haliburton’s dad, John, has never met a stranger.
Over the summer, Tyrese appeared on WWE shows not once, but twice. And the second time in Orlando, he brought his teammates along and involved them in a skit.
The Pacers’ point guard will randomly go live on Twitch, he’s working on a YouTube channel with his brothers, and he’s hired a videographer to record all the major moments in his life.
Recently, Haliburton signed with PUMA and was featured in his first ad campaign for them.
Then on Tuesday morning, the NBA posted a new short film to create interest in the second annual NBA Cup. The Pacers lost in the championship game to the LA Lakers last December.
In an Ocean’s Eleven-like spoof, Haliburton is on in-house camera duty. He’s featured, along with Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jrue Holiday, Jamal Murray, Michael Imperioli and Rosario Dawson.
And here’s a behind the scenes video from the taping at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Then, a short while later on Tuesday, Haliburton was announced as the first guest host of JJ Redick’s podcast “The Old Man And The Three.” With Redick accepting the Lakers head-coaching job, the podcast needed a new name and a new host.
So they’ve changed the concept from being Redick’s show to including a rotating cast of young players to share their perspective on the league and the game. New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III is also part of this new team.
Several players will get a shot at hosting what is now called “The Young Man And The Three.”
First up, was Haliburton. His first guest on the program is former president Barack Obama, whom he met in the summer with Team USA. (An interview with Obama was in the works for a while, even before Redick departed for LA.)
Haliburton has been a regular contributor on the show for several years. He said after practice on Tuesday that it’s something they’ve wanted him to do for a while.
“I can't commit to doing a full podcast because there's just so many podcasts,” he said. “But when they asked me to host the first one with former president, I couldn't say no to that.”
Like Haliburton said, there’s plenty of podcasts featuring NBA players. Redick was the first, and that was something I talked with him about almost 10 years ago.
“It wasn’t really about being a pioneer (in the podcast space) or anything like that. I didn’t really care about being the first guy,” he said.
“I think, for me, it was just about exploring that avenue and I’m a very curious person. So the opportunity for me to just talk to people. Each guest that I have on, there was always something that I wanted to pick their brain about. The ability to ask questions I think is an important thing and learning from other people. There’s numerous episodes where I got done with the conversation and I was like, ‘Man, I got something from that.’
“It’s taught me a lot about my views on things and it’s taught me how to speak.”
Haliburton prepped for the interview for a few weeks, brainstorming questions with a few others from Redick’s production company. Then it was filmed last week in Washington DC when the Pacers had the day off.
“Got to interview him, talk a lot of basketball but also talk about the election and using your platform the right way. It was just an honor to sit down and talk with him.”
Both Haliburton and Obama are easygoing and good in front of the camera.
“It's literally the greatest speaker of my generation of my life so he makes it rather easy,” Haliburton joked. “I just ask the questions and just have conversation.”
They discussed Team USA, Haliburton’s tweet, Obama’s favorite NBA teams to watch, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, the upcoming election, and a lot more.
“You hear about how much of a basketball head he is, but to sit down with him and have an actual conversation was really cool,” said Haliburton.
“Just an unbelievable guy I've looked up to my whole life so to sit down with him was a very special for me. … I was eight years old when he was elected president and when you're eight years old, you don't really know a ton about politics. But you understand that that's a black man in the most powerful position in the world and so immediately from there, I was just glued and just loved everything about President Obama.”
The podcast, featuring the 43-minute interview, was released Wednesday morning. (It starts at the 15:39 mark.)
“I like how the Pacers are playing,” Obama said.
“Are you only saying that because I’m in front of you,” Haliburton quipped.
“Yes,” Obama replied, “But also because you guys play with pace and you move the ball around and if you ask me the teams I enjoyed watching most over the last decade, it's the Warriors. And before that it was the Spurs.
“I just like that style of basketball — the beautiful game and the ball is popping and nobody's just backing up and dribbling the whole time. You guys are playing that style of ball. Now, you gotta pick up that defense a little bit.”
Added Haliburton: “We’re figuring it out.”
Obama later called Haliburton (and others) out for the intensity level at the NBA All-Star game. “Y’all got to have a little more pride in that All-Star game. Look, it’s not as if you don’t play opiuckups in the summers. You know how to play in a way that, alright, I’m not going to hurt anybody, I’m not going to take anybody out.
“That All-Star game is broke, man. … It insults the game.”
It’s unclear how often Haliburton will participate as a guest host, but it comes easily to him. Going into a new season, which begins Wednesday in Detroit, his focus is on leading the Pacers and helping to elevate them even more.
They’re not content with last season. They want to build off of it.
Oh, but that’s not all…
Haliburton was also featured in a recent eight-part ESPN series chronicling the 2024 NBA Playoffs, along with Zion Williamson, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, P.J. Washington, and Jaylen Brown.
It's called “Clutch: The NBA Playoffs” and premiered on Oct. 7.
It is produced by ESPN+, along with ThreeFourTwo Productions, which is co-owned by Redick and Tommy Alter (who joined Haliburton for the interview.)
Haliburton is featured in Episode 3 (Killer Instinct) as the Pacers faced the Bucks in the first round. Then, again in Episode 6 (Redemption) with Haliburton out to prove that he is one of the future faces of the NBA.
Other Notes
Isaiah Jackson is listed as questionable on the first injury report with a right groin strain. “Isaiah is day-to-day right now,” Carlisle said. “So we’ll see where he is tomorrow. Other than that, I think we’re doing OK.”
That includes rookie Johnny Furphy, who missed the entire preseason with an ankle injury.
Pacers social posted a video that showed Jackson’s uniform hung in the locker room. He’s from the area so this is a very important game for Jackson and his family.
The Pistons will be without Ausar Thompson and Bobi Klintman.
The Pacers wore their gold Statement Edition uniforms for all 17 playoff games last spring. They will continue wearing gold in their first three games.
Coaching staffs across the NBA will continue to wear unified team attire.
After playing their first two games on the road, the Pacers’ home opener is on Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia 76ers. And already, Joel Embiid and Paul George have been ruled out for opening night. So their status is questionable.