Tyrese Haliburton may have looked like a superstar after his clutch Game 1 heroics in the 2025 NBA Finals, but not everyone’s convinced he’s arrived.
The Indiana Pacers guard followed up his game-winning shot in the Finals opener with a shaky, low-impact performance in Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, some analysts argue that Haliburton’s inconsistency proves he’s not quite ready for true superstar status—despite his breakout postseason run.
Analyst Rips Tyrese Haliburton’s Game 2 Performance in NBA Finals
Haliburton’s playoff rise has fueled the “superstar” debate—but sports and pop culture observer Bomani Jones isn’t buying it. After Haliburton’s quiet showing in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Jones weighed in on the discourse Monday, posting on social media that the Pacers star still hasn’t proven he belongs in the league’s top tier.
Jones focused on Haliburton’s weak first half, where he scored only three points with three rebounds and a few assists.
“He had something like three points, three rebounds and a couple of assists at halftime of Game 2. Finished it with 17 points. That is not superstar behavior,” Jones said.
He argued that if Haliburton were a true superstar, fans and media would be far more critical.
“We are not treating him like he is a superstar, because we would be savaging him in an entirely different way if he were an actual, factual, real-life superstar,” he added.
Tyrese Haliburton is not a superstar, and that’s ok.
“Saying someone is not a superstar is not an insult. saying someone is a superstar is the highest praise.” pic.twitter.com/jfplst3gXO
— The Right Time with Bomani Jones (@righttimebomani) June 9, 2025
Still, Haliburton has had his moments. Remember that in Game 1, he had a rough start but really came through in clutch moments. He made the game-winning basket with just 0.3 seconds remaining, giving the Pacers a 111–110 victory against the Thunder. He finished with 14 points, 10 boards, and 6 assists, which reflected his versatility. More significantly, he came through when it counted. For many, however, even that isn’t enough.
Jones believes the term “superstar” should be reserved for players at the highest level. Haliburton’s ups and downs between Game 1 and Game 2 raise doubts about whether he truly fits that label.
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“Saying that somebody is not a superstar is not an insult. Saying someone is a superstar is the highest praise,” Jones explained. “We cannot exist in this binary place where it’s only high praise and slander.”
Haliburton finished with 17 points and six assists in the 123–107 Game 2 loss—but numbers alone weren’t enough. As the Thunder tightened the screws, Indiana needed a tone-setter. Instead, Haliburton’s performance left critics like Jones echoing a pointed refrain: “That is not superstar behavior.”