Iowa State point guard Tyrese Haliburton says he won’t be daunted if he winds up with the Knicks, as some project.
“Being in New York, they always talk about the pressure of being a Knick,’’ Haliburton said Tuesday on ESPN’s “The Jump.” “I feel like no matter where I go, the pressure I put on myself is more than I’ll get from anywhere. No matter where I’m at, that pressure is prominent and it will be more from me. I’m ready to play anywhere.’’
Regarded as one of the top two point guards in the draft, the 20-year-old Haliburton is not the typical one-and-done college prospect. He finished his sophomore year at Iowa State and mostly flew under the radar until recently.
Haliburton came out of high school as just a three-star recruit, he believes, because he didn’t join the NIKE, Adidas, Under Armour youth circuit that showcases young players. Haliburton played for his high school in Oshkosh, Wisc., and local youth programs, but now is considered a potential top-10 pick.
Haliburton finished his career at Iowa State with a career 3-point shooting percentage of 42.6 percent. As a sophomore he averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 assists and 5.9 assists.
The NBA lottery would have been staged Tuesday night, with the draft combine in Chicago featuring player measurements and team interviews kicking off Wednesday. Both events were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the June 25 draft is expected to be postponed as well.
“I know eventually it will all get handled and [we’ll] have an answer soon,’’ Haliburton said of the draft. “People in this world, a lot of uncertainty will happen in their life. I take it in stride. People have it worse than I do. I’ll be alright.”
The Knicks, who The Post reported in February were seeking a scoring point guard in the draft, currently sit sixth in the lottery standings.
“I think the Knicks are on the right track if they take him at 6,’’ one NBA executive said.
The Post’s latest mock draft has Haliburton going to the Knicks with the sixth pick, and LaMelo Ball heading to the Warriors with the No. 1 pick.
The 6-foot-5 Haliburton checks a lot of boxes with his ability to run an offense, high basketball IQ and length on defense. He weighs just 175 pounds and his upside is not as high as Ball, who is favored as the top point guard.
“I’m a fan of Haliburton,’’ one NBA scout told The Post. “I thought he really knew how to play. He has great height for the position and exceptional length. However, he is very thin. He also has to fix his shot because of a low release point. But he has touch and can shoot from distance.
“He has knowledge and ability to defend but needs to add strength. He leads and competes. He’s a very good prospect. Physicality is a question but otherwise one of the better and more mature guards in a weak draft.”
Asked by ESPN about his criticized shooting mechanics, Haliburton said, “The most important part for me is it goes in and I think it goes in at a pretty high clip. I experimented from my freshman and sophomore year, but my shot has only gotten better.”
Source: Read Full Article