Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton backs 'Mr Irrelevant' Brock Purdy for NFL MVP as 49ers cruise to 11-3 record
Tyrese Haliburton knows a thing or two about being overlooked and underestimated as a player. Last season, for example, Tyrese Haliburton quietly made his case for an All-Star selection by impressing fans, analysts, and his peers. Despite that, he has continued to doubt himself throughout the season.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who earned the nickname Mr Irrelevant by being selected last in the NFL Draft, is in a similar position. In the current scenario, many doubt his status as a potential NFL MVP, with Tyrse Haliburton going to bat for the American football standout.
The two men became friends while at Iowa State, and although they wound up going their separate ways, they've remained friends. During a recent interview with The Athletic, Tyrese Haliburton spoke about Purdy's case for NFL MVP.
“I’m pushing the agenda every day. I’ve been pushing the Brock Purdy agenda since we were 18, so it’s not going to stop anytime soon. Yeah, I believe he’s the MVP of the league. Just keep doing what he’s doing.
"I was pissed when he got hurt last year. I was the one running around saying if he doesn’t get hurt, they’re winning the Super Bowl. I’m super excited to see what he’s doing.”
Tyrese Haliburton's run for the NBA MVP ladder this season
After being a dark horse for an All-Star nomination last season, Tyrese Haliburton has been a man on a mission this season. Currently, he is leading the league in assists with 12.0 assists per game, sitting .9 ahead of Trae Young in second place and 2.7 ahead of Nikola Jokic in third place.
In addition, Tyrese Haliburton has also notably been averaging a career-high 24.3 points per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc. While he and the Pacers came up short to the LA Lakers in the finals of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, his play was impressive.
Since then, he has continued to serve as a driving force in the Pacers' success, with the team currently sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Thanks to his impressive play, he has begun to climb his way up the NBA MVP ladder this season.
Currently, Haliburton sits in eighth place on the FanDuel Sportsbook NBA MVP odds, just ahead of Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards. While eighth place sounds like he's still a ways off, considering many doubted him as an All-Star last season, the fact that he's in the top 10 for MVP odds is impressive.
With the Indiana Pacers set to take on the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the next few months could be big for Haliburton and Purdy as both look to earn respect.