Tyrese Haliburton is going to be an Olympian: 'A moment I’ve wanted my whole life'
Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton was named to the 2024 Olympic Team roster. Managing director Grant Hill surprised him with the news, then told me why Haliburton is such a great fit.
The Year of Tyrese Haliburton just got even better.
Just a few months before his rookie max extension kicks in, he was one of 12 players named to USA Basketball’s Olympic Team roster for the 2024 Olympics to be held in Paris.
“It would mean the world to me,” Haliburton said on Tuesday before the announcement. “I think all of us, as kids, have grown up watching USA Basketball and every Fourth of July putting on a USA Basketball jersey. I’ve really done that like my whole life.”
Haliburton, 24, has been in the USA Basketball system for years and played on the FIBA World Cup Team last fall before the start of training camp. Both he and Anthony Edwards were part of that team, and are now the Olympic Team.
Last September on media day, Haliburton made absolutely clear that “If asked, of course I would love to (play in the Olympics).”
And you could sense it coming considering his annual youth basketball camp was scheduled for mid-June, before his USAB commitment.
The roster: Bam Adebayo (Heat), Devin Booker (Suns), Steph Curry (Warriors), Anthony Davis (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (76ers), Jrue Holiday (Celtics), LeBron James (Lakers), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) and Jayson Tatum (Celtics).
The coaches: Steve Kerr (Warriors), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Ty Lue (Clippers), Erik Spoelstra (Heat).
The roster was finalized a few weeks ago and then announced on Wednesday, officially 100 days out from the start of the Olympic games. The 12-man roster was narrowed down from an original 41-member finalist pool in January.