Tyrese Haliburton entertained the NBA world with an otherworldly postseason performance last season. Well, the ruptured right Achilles tendon did put an end to his championship dreams against the OKC Thunder. However, the Indiana Pacers star’s resilience and ability to entertain the crowd resonate with someone who has reshaped basketball at his own whim. Yes, Stephen Curry. Well, as unrealistic as it might sound to some, Colin Cowherd has an explanation.

The analyst appeared on the Club 520 podcast and shared his thoughts. Cowherd said, “I’m talking about selling shoes, likable personality, plays with joy, not a scorer. I’m not saying points and icon. I’m saying in the Midwest, if I said I’ll just say this.” He added, “Say this out loud. There’s this kind of handsome, funny, playful, joyful leader of a franchise that you can’t help but like. Elevates his teammates. He’s kind of polarizing to guys, but you can’t quite figure it out. You’d be like Steph Curry. No, no, that’d be Tyrese Haliburton.”

Now, why does Colin Cowherd’s bold statement make sense? Tyrese Haliburton turns basketball into a lightning storm. The “Steph Curry of the Midwest” tag fits because defenses panic the second he crosses half-court. Like Stephen Curry, he bends spacing, moves without the ball, and turns teammates into stars. Indiana exploded from 21st in offensive rating at 113.8 to No. 1 at 123.5 with Haliburton running the show, while the Pacers jumped from 116.3 to a ridiculous 128.4 PPG.

Of course, efficiency plays a big role here. Haliburton averaged 18.6 PPG and 9.2 APG in 2024-25 on 47.3% shooting, 38.8% from deep, 85.1% at the line, plus a sparkling 61.6% true shooting. Even crazier, his 5.61 assist-to-turnover ratio placed him in historic territory. Then the playoffs arrived, and Haliburton somehow got louder in the biggest moments. Since turnovers became official in 1977-78, Tyrese Haliburton became the first player to record 30+ points, 15+ assists, 10+ rebounds, and zero turnovers in a playoff game.

Meanwhile, his 2025 Finals run delivered 14.0 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 4.6 RPG across seven games, pushing Indiana into the spotlight again. The Curry parallels keep screaming. Curry owns 26.8 playoff PPG across 147 postseason games with a savage 24-5 series record. Even at 38 in 2026, his relentless edge still infects teammates.

Off the court, the similarities feel even sharper. Haliburton walked away from Nike and signed a huge PUMA deal in 2024, becoming the centerpiece of PUMA Hoops before unveiling the PUMA Hali 1 with Salehe Bembury ahead of the 2025 Finals.

Curry built the blueprint years earlier after Nike lowballed him and Under Armour struck gold. That gamble later turned into $75 million in Curry Brand stock. Add charisma, humor, leadership, and a connection with fans, and the comparison starts to feel unavoidable. Curry gave the Bay Area its basketball heartbeat. Haliburton is giving the Midwest one, too.

Now, while he resonates with Steph Curry, Tyrese Haliburton faces criticism that often feels unreasonable. Last season, the NBA players voted Hali as the most overrated player in the league. But he turned the tables on them in the postseason. So, is the Indiana Pacers’ star truly a polarizing figure in the league?

Tyrese Haliburton’s polarizing presence in the NBA

Haliburton lived in the NBA’s strangest space. One night, he sliced apart defenses and dragged the Indiana Pacers into the Eastern Conference finals for a second straight year after eliminating the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. Then another night arrived, and Game 3 happened. Four points. 2-of-8 shooting. Thirty quiet minutes. That rollercoaster has fueled the “overrated” chatter, especially after an anonymous player poll revealed nearly 14% of NBA peers viewed him as the league’s most overrated star.

Critics pointed toward his scoring droughts, inconsistent aggression, and shaky defense despite his length and athletic tools. Others believed the hype machine sprinted ahead of the actual production after his Team USA buzz and explosive stretches early in the season. Yet the other side of the argument refused to go away because Haliburton kept making winning basketball look easy.

Coaches and teammates raved about his command of the floor, elite passing vision, and absurdly low turnover numbers. His creativity unlocks Indiana’s offense, while his deep pull-up shooting forces defenses into chaos. Even when the scoring disappeared, the game still revolved around him. That’s why some fans saw a flawed star, while others saw one of the NBA’s most valuable engines hiding behind unconventional box scores.

Thus, Tyrese Haliburton forces the NBA to pick a side every single night. Some see unnecessary, loud hype. Others see a fearless engine that changes games with joy, pace, and control. Stephen Curry comparisons now feel earned, especially after another deep Indiana run. Meanwhile, stars like Luka Doncic command headlines, and role players like Draymond Green battle for respect. Haliburton somehow lives in both worlds at once.