Tyrese Haliburton Recalls Frustration When Pistons Passed on Him

Tyrese Haliburton recalls the 2020 NBA Draft when the Detroit Pistons let him down.

At this point, the Detroit Pistons chalked up their seventh-overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft as a bust. With the Pistons cutting ties with Killian Hayes, the prospect they selected from Ratiopharm Ulm, it’s apparent they made a major mistake on draft night a few years ago.

As if the way the situation played out over the years didn’t sting enough for Detroit, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton recently recalled his draft night experience, which featured frustration aimed toward the Pistons’ organization.

During a sit-down with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Haliburton was asked if there was a draft night situation that felt “the most personal.”

Haliburton didn’t hesitate to reveal the Pistons as his pick. 

Tyrese Haliburton says the Pistons drafting Killian Hayes over him felt personal pic.twitter.com/tDppX8oLu5

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) February 18, 2024

“Detroit… For sure, Detroit,” said the Pacers guard.

While Haliburton didn’t enter the draft thinking Pistons or bust, he assumed that landing with them at pick No. 7 was a realistic scenario. Haliburton believed he was a top point guard in the draft pool and knew the Pistons were in need of a point guard at the time.

The fact that ESPN’s player rankings placed him fourth behind the draft’s top three picks left him convinced he was sure to go top ten as well. 

“Every pick that’s coming up, it’s panning to the camera in my room,” Haliburton remembered. “I told the Hawks and Cavs, ‘Please, God, don’t draft me’ because they already had point guards. They had Trae [Young] and Darius [Garland]. I was like, ‘Don’t draft me.’”

Haliburton believed the Pistons would’ve been a great team to start his career with.

“With the Pistons, I knew they needed a point guard,” he explained. “In that moment, I already felt like I was the best point guard in the draft. LaMelo [Ball] was already touted as the number one guy. He got drafted [to Charlotte], and now I’m like, ‘Okay, it’s gotta be me.’”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t

“I remember looking at my agent, he was behind the camera. He was like [no]. I was like, what is this? They’re not picking me? Flashed out Killian Hayes or whatever, and I’m like, ‘What?’ In that moment, I was frustrated,” said Haliburton. “I knew that the Kings were my floor. I keep my expectations low, if I would’ve got drafted I would’ve been surprised but still, in the moment, I was just angry. I was like, ‘What do you mean? They need a point guard, and they’re not picking me?’ That one felt the most personal.” 

After the Pistons went with Hayes at pick seven, Haliburton remained on the board until the 12th selection. He ended up on the Sacramento Kings, where he had spurts of joining the Rookie of the Year conversation throughout the year.

Sacramento had a good one in Haliburton, but they cut ties with him in year two. During the 2021-2022 season, Haliburton landed on the Pacers, where he’s developed into a two-time All-Star.

There’s no telling how Haliburton would’ve looked in Detroit’s system, but the what-ifs have to be a tough pill to swallow for the Pistons. Not only did Haliburton develop into one of the best point guards in the NBA by age 23, but Hayes proved to be a bust after averaging just eight points and five assists while shooting 38 percent from the field in 210 games.