Tyrese Haliburton says exactly what makes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander so 'great' after battling with him in the NBA Finals

The 2025 NBA Finals featured a matchup between Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Haliburton led the Pacers to the Finals with a strong postseason performance, including multiple game-winning shots. Gilgeous-Alexander guided the Thunder to the league's best regular-season record (68-14) and through the competitive Western Conference.

Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as the dominant force, winning the scoring title, regular-season MVP, the NBA championship, and Finals MVP. This collective achievement is considered one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history, elevating him into "best player in the world" discussions.

The outcome might have differed had Haliburton not suffered an unfortunate Achilles injury in Game 7. Despite this, Haliburton expressed immense respect for Gilgeous-Alexander, explaining his rival's elite ability to get paint touches, reach his spots effectively despite not being bulky, and score proficiently on all three levels, solidifying his MVP status.

Beyond Haliburton's injury, which is expected to sideline him for the entire 2025-26 season, the Pacers face another significant challenge. Starting center Myles Turner has decided to leave the Pacers to join Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Haliburton publicly wished Turner well with the Bucks, acknowledging Turner's decade-long association with the Pacers organization, his contributions, and his popularity with fans. Haliburton stated that while Turner's departure makes a Pacers return to the Finals less likely, he understands it's a business decision and Turner must do what's best for himself. Haliburton emphasized his focus is now on the current Pacers roster and improving the team.