Since being traded to the Indiana Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton has undoubtedly taken his career to a new level. In three years, he averaged 19.7 points and 10.2 assists per game, was selected to the All-Star team twice, and gradually grew into one of the best point guards in the league. However, in an anonymous player vote conducted by The Athletic in 2025, the Pacers core was named "the most overrated player in the league."

The annual survey collected anonymous votes from 158 active players from 30 teams in the league. Haliburton "won" the championship with 14.4% of the votes, surpassing Rudy Gobert and Trae Young who have been on the list for a long time.

Although this list is controversial every year, it is still representative because it is selected by NBA players themselves. However, compared with previous years, Haliburton's "leap" this time is still surprising. He also appeared on the same list in 2024, but only received 3.4% of the votes at that time. This year's surge in votes seems to be closely related to his decline in form this season.

This season, Haliburton's scoring, assists and rebounds have all declined, and he failed to make the All-Star team for the third consecutive year. Although he is still the core of the Pacers' tactical system, the team's mediocre record and his personal performance have slightly declined, which may have caused some players to question his "star power".

It is worth noting that this year, The Athletic did not publish the anonymous comments attached to the ballots as in previous years, which made it impossible for fans to know the specific aspects that caused Haliburton to "fall from the altar."

Haliburton has not yet responded publicly to the controversy, but for this point guard known for his diligence and basketball IQ, perhaps the best way to "fight back" is to give a more convincing answer on the court.