Tyrese Haliburton Offers High Praise to OKC Thunder Superstar

The Oklahoma City Thunder secured their first NBA championship in franchise history by defeating the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game 2025 NBA Finals. Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spearheaded the victory, capping a historic season where he earned NBA MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, and NBA Finals MVP honors. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 68-win regular season, claimed the scoring title with a 32-point per game average, and delivered a dominant Finals performance.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton appeared on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" to reflect on his season, which ended tragically when he suffered an Achilles injury during Game 7 of the Finals. During the interview, host Pat McAfee shifted focus to Gilgeous-Alexander, recalling a hotel encounter where he jokingly asked the MVP if he "could have missed" shots during the series, emphasizing his awe at Gilgeous-Alexander's flawless play.

Haliburton acknowledged that the Thunder's excellence was no surprise, stating they were "the best team in the NBA all year." He praised Gilgeous-Alexander's elite ability to penetrate the paint, score from all three levels, and consistently reach his spots, calling it "one of the greatest seasons in NBA history." Both players will reunite in October for Netflix's "Starting 5" series, offering fans behind-the-scenes access to their standout seasons.