Tyrese Haliburton sheds harsh truth on sports betting: “I’m a prop”
Amid his late-season struggles, Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton recently opened up about his mental recovery process. He also touched on the rigors of being an NBA star, including constantly being dehumanized by sports bettors.
After a strong first two-thirds of the season, Haliburton has struggled mightily since the All-Star break. Over his last 12 games, he is averaging 15.0 points per game, shooting just 40.2% and 19.0% from 3.
The 24-year-old’s 3-point shooting slump has dropped his season average to 35.9%. Considering that he shot at least 40.0% from deep in each of his first three seasons, many are concerned. Meanwhile, gamblers are growing increasingly frustrated with the two-time All-Star for costing them potential winnings.
Multiple players have spoken out against the NBA’s emphasis on gambling this season, as the league is promoting it more than ever. However, sports bettors have long been critical of athletes when they don’t meet their expectations.
According to Haliburton, he has dealt with his struggles by regularly meeting with a sports psychologist. He noted that the experience has been beneficial to him. So, he encouraged all athletes to find someone to reach out to about their mental health.
“Obviously, what happens on the court is what happens on the court, but just life in general, it’s important for us as basketball players, as men, to get those things out,” Haliburton said. “'Cause not everybody cares to hear how we feel.
“To half the world, I’m just helping them make money on DraftKings or whatever. Like, I’m a prop, you know what I mean? Like, that’s what my social media mostly consists of. [So], I think it’s important to have someone to talk to.”
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Tyrese Haliburton vows to break out of shooting slump that is aggravating sports bettors
Tyrese Haliburton also touched on his shooting woes following Monday’s 108-103 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The star point guard finished with 14 points, shooting just 4-for-14 (28.6%) and 1-for-9 (11.1%) from 3.
Amid increased scrutiny from gamblers, Haliburton vowed to snap out of his slump soon, noting that he has never experienced such prolonged struggles.
“When I play better we win, so I'm just trying to figure it out right now,” Haliburton said. “Obviously, it's frustrating. I never went through a slump like this in my life, but it's all part of it, figuring it out.”
The Pacers (38-31) sit seventh in the Eastern Conference with 13 games remaining. So, they could use increased production from the 24-year-old to secure a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament.
Given his track record, Haliburton’s slump will likely end soon. However, in the meantime, it appears that he won’t let the outside noise affect him too much.
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