The 2025 NBA Finals aren’t just a series anymore. They’re a full-blown passing-of-the-torch audition. Indiana vs. OKC is… generationally fresh, so to speak. These rosters are so young, you’d think someone forgot to check ID at the entrance. And with the vets watching from home or clinging to playoff life, the buzz has turned into a question that’s practically screaming off the NBA ticker: Is this a changing of the guard?

And that’s exactly what Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., working as an NBA correspondent, asked Tyrese Haliburton during a Finals Game 2 media appearance. The question was direct, maybe even loaded: “Do you feel like if this is a moment that is kind of a changing of the guard where you guys are carrying the torch for the league and on to the future?” 

Now, most young stars might grab that moment and run with it. But not Haliburton. He dribbled around it, slowed the tempo, and delivered a veteran-level response. “The changing of the guard really isn’t necessarily fair because guys like Bron, Steph, they’re still playing at such a high level,” Haliburton said. Cool, measured, and respectfully aware. But also… confident. Because Haliburton isn’t dismissing the idea entirely. He just doesn’t need to say the obvious out loud.

But folks, here’s the thing—when you speak like that and play like this, the comparison is inevitable. Haliburton may be deflecting the narrative, but he’s also fueling it with every no-look dime and ice-cold dagger. If he’s not actively auditioning for the league’s future face, he’s accidentally nailing the role anyway.

That’s part of what makes Tyrese so interesting. He’s aware of the moment without being consumed by it, despite leading one and fighting against another young team. He continued, “I think it’s cool to see young teams having success. And maybe what we’re doing or they’re doing could be a blueprint for other young teams in this league. But as far as those conversations, those are for the media, we just wanna win.”

Tyrese Haliburton & Co.’s next test

And win, they did. In Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Haliburton became the hype. He finished with 14 points, 6 assists, and 10 rebounds, not a lot per his standards, right? But it was his final act that stole the show: a cold-blooded jumper with 0.3 seconds left that gave Indiana its first and only lead of the night. And as of this week, Basketball Reference has officially added “The Moment” to his player profile. Fitting, isn’t it?

When the game slows down, the lights heat up, and the stakes rise, Haliburton is the moment. But that praise didn’t stop there. Dwayne Wade, Tyrese’s childhood hero and one of the league’s biggest legends, lost his mind over Pacers’ Game 1 win and couldn’t stop calling Haliburton a “Superstar! Superstar! Superstaaarrrr!” to be exact.

The Pacers’ only lead of the game came at the final horn, and you could practically hear the collective gasp across Oklahoma in that moment. And to that 111-110 win, what did Haliburton have to say? Only this – “Man, basketball’s fun… Winning is fun.” But now it’s Game 2 tipping off Sunday, June 8th, and here’s where legends either catch fire or fizzle. Will Haliburton double down on the drama and pull a Reggie Miller? Will OKC adjust and put the clamps on Indiana’s flow? If history tells us anything, it’s that Tyrese isn’t one for disappearing acts. And just like Curry or LeBron in their prime, he doesn’t need a PR push to shape a narrative, his play will do that itself.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Haliburton’s not trying to be the next Steph or LeBron. He’s building something else. Something now. So while the media debates the future of the league and fans refresh X hoping for the next cryptic tweet, Haliburton is busy doing what the greats do, and that is… delivering in real-time.

He may not claim the changing-of-the-guard title, but if you squint a little, you might just see him carrying it anyway. Because when the spotlight finds Tyrese Haliburton, he doesn’t blink. He becomes the moment.