There’s a storm ripping through NBA debates, and Tyrese Haliburton is right in the eye of it. The Pacers guard just led Indiana to their second straight Eastern Conference Finals and dropped a historic playoff performance—yet somehow, the talk shows can’t agree if he’s the real deal.

Stephen A. Smith sparked the fire on First Take, flat-out saying Haliburton hasn’t earned the “superstar” tag. “I don’t view him that way. Not yet,” he said. “He’s damn good… but I need to see more consistency before I give him that kind of label.” For Smith, superstar status means carrying your squad night in and night out—and he doesn’t think Haliburton’s there yet. But Paul George wasn’t having it.

On his Podcast P show, PG didn’t just defend Tyrese Haliburton—he threw him straight into the superstar tier. “In my eyes, I think he is a superstar. He is the face of the NBA. He is the number one option,” George said, leaving no room for debate. Paul George made that statement right after Tyrese Haliburton cooked the Knicks in Game 4, with 32 points, 12 boards, 15 assists, 4 steals, and zero turnovers.

No one in playoff history has ever put up that kind of line. And he didn’t just flash once. Through the 2025 playoffs, Haliburton averaged 19.4 points and 9.8 assists on 46.7% shooting. He’s done this while leading a young Indiana squad deep into the postseason. In the Conference Finals alone, he’s averaging 11 assists with just 1.5 turnovers per game. That level of efficiency hasn’t been matched in this round since 2000.

Jay Williams couldn’t believe the pushback. He fired off a tweet: “Oh, I’m sorry—did I miss the memo where 32-15-12 with ZERO turnovers in 38 minutes isn’t elite anymore? If that stat line doesn’t scream “superstar,” what exactly are we watching, @stephenasmith?”

Jay Williams sees it. Paul George sees it. They see the control, the leadership, the unselfish dominance. Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t need to jack up 30 shots—he takes over by precision. By doing things we’ve never seen before, unless you’re old enough. While Stephen A. waits for consistency, Paul George sees the future. And Haliburton? He’s already playing like he owns it.

Can Tyrese Haliburton become the NBA’s next face?

Tyrese Haliburton is building a legacy in real-time. He’s not just chasing stats—he’s chasing history with the Pacers, and he’s dragging them along with him, smiling the whole way. He’s the calm in the chaos, running Indiana’s offense like a conductor. His numbers in the 2025 playoffs speak for themselves—18.6 points, 9.2 assists, almost 3.5 rebounds a game, and fewer than two turnovers.

And when the lights get brightest, he shines even more. He’s hit game-winners, closed out the Bucks with a clutch layup, and buried the Cavaliers with a walk-off three. What really sets Tyrese Haliburton apart from other rising stars isn’t just his production—it’s how he lifts everyone around him. Take Pascal Siakam, for example—he’s thriving. Bennedict Mathurin? Breaking out. The Pacers aren’t winning because Haliburton’s doing it all; they’re winning because he makes sure everyone gets their share. And it’s not just on offense.

He’s grabbing key rebounds, jumping passing lanes, and pushing Indiana to run teams off the floor in transition. Quietly, he’s becoming a serious two-way problem. Tyrese Haliburton also made history with his triple-double—the first in NBA playoff history where a player recorded at least 30 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds with zero turnovers. That’s not just impressive; it’s unprecedented.

On top of that, he’s not chasing shoe deals or viral highlights. Instead, he’s building something much bigger: a team, a culture, a new identity for a Pacers squad that hasn’t sniffed the Finals in over twenty years. For basketball fans who also watch anime, this might feel strangely familiar. It’s like watching a certain red-haired point guard from the Generation of Miracles take over the court—making his team better while completely rewriting what leadership looks like.

So, yeah, calling someone the face of the NBA is a huge claim. But if this run keeps going and Haliburton keeps leading with this kind of swagger and smarts, don’t be surprised if his face is the one everyone ends up seeing.