Dwyane Wade has made his feelings about Tyrese Haliburton clear.
Like many basketball fans worldwide, Wade expressed sheer excitement when Haliburton hit a game-winning jumper with just 0.3 seconds left, securing a 111-110 victory over the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
“Superstar!” Wade shouted during a live stream. “Superstar! Superstar! Superstar!”
As Haliburton’s shot swished through the net, Wade leaped from his seat, screaming with joy. It’s likely that plenty of fans reacted similarly to his incredible play.
Meanwhile, the 18,203 spectators at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center were left in stunned silence, absorbing the shocking turn of events.
Although Haliburton tallied only 14 points in this win, Wade’s assertion about him being a “superstar” feels warranted after that clutch performance.
Throughout the playoffs, both All-Stars have delivered critical shots, showing their unity in each of the Pacers’ series. The first came in a must-have layup with just 1.3 seconds left in Game 5 against the Indiana Bucks, which completed a sweep of the Milwaukee team.
Next, Haliburton secured a win in Game 2 of the second round against Cleveland with a step-back three-pointer, having intentionally missed a free throw to grab the rebound first.
Then there was another thrilling moment in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, where a last-second shot helped push the game into overtime. That capped off a vigorous fourth-quarter comeback, leading to his notable Finals debut.
Throughout these playoffs, discussions about Haliburton’s “superstar” status have been prevalent. He stands out as the Pacers’ best player, currently leading the Finals 1-0, even though his numbers don’t jump off the page compared to some other star players in the league.
Haliburton is averaging 18.5 points per game in the postseason, ranking 26th among playoff performers, and second on his own team behind Pascal Siakam’s 20.9.
However, Wade—who is a three-time NBA champion and 13-time All-Star—didn’t hesitate to label Haliburton a “superstar,” bolstered by that unforgettable shot now etched in NBA Finals history.
