Haliburton prepares for role on Team USA in Summer Olympics

The same contagious smile is still there for former Iowa State star Tyrese Haliburton as he prepares to compete in his first Summer Olympics as a member of Team USA.

A first-round draft pick of Indiana in 2020 and reigning two-time NBA All-Star selection, the guard is preparing for his biggest test yet playing alongside several future hall of famers that will soon take the floor seeking a Gold Medal in Paris, France.

“It’s really cool,” said Haliburton, who rose to stardom in Ames where he played for two seasons before turning pro. “I’m also the first guy from my hometown. It means a lot to me. It’s definitely a privilege to put this jersey on and represent where I come from.”

A veteran of FIBA rules competition, this is the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, native’s fourth time on a Team USA roster. Most recently, he competed on the Men’s Select Team that practiced against the much of his future teammates and NBA stars prior to the 2021 Olympic Games.

The 6-foot-5, 185-pound Haliburton believes that experience will pay dividends when he heads overseas later this month.

“(It’s big) just understanding the structure of how the games go,” he said. “It’s not like the NBA where you can (lose) three games in a playoff series and still win. It doesn’t happen. It’s one game. It’s 40 minutes. The game is officiated differently and played differently. Having that experience really helped me. Even playing on the Select Team in 2021 before those Olympics and being a part of that has helped me.”

The unselfish backcourt player and former Cyclone will suit up against some of the NBA’s greatest players, many of whom are destined for hall of fame status in future years.

Names like LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and recent NBA champion Jayson Tatum are all on this year’s roster.

Winning a Gold Medal is first and foremost on the minds of Haliburton and the star-studded roster.

“That’s the standard of USA Basketball,” he said. “That’s not ever going to change. That’s part of the honor of wearing this jersey, the privilege of wearing this jersey. That’s the standard and I don’t think any of us would have it any other way.

“We all welcome that pressure. It’s a lot of fun for us to come in as top guys in the NBA and share the floor together. We don’t get to share the floor together unless it’s at an all-star game. It’s cool to actually compete for something real and play together.”

Many of his teammates in Paris are players Haliburton said he grew up idolizing.

“Everybody wants to put on the USA jersey and to do that with guys that I’ve looked up to my whole life and be here with Lebron, KD, and Steph is really cool,” he said. “It means a lot. It’s something one day that I’ll look back on as one of the coolest experiences of my life.”

From his previous experience of competing at the international level, the former Cyclone said he also realizes his role will be different than the one he has with the Pacers.

“(It’s) whatever I’m asked to do,” Haliburton said. “Obviously, I want to be on the floor, compete, help the team. But whatever I’m asked to do is what I’ll do to help us win. The great part about USA Basketball is it takes sacrifice and guys that will come in and be ready to what’s asked of them to win a Gold Medal.”

Preparing for his fifth season in the NBA, Haliburton also realizes that whatever role he plays will serve him well come this fall.

“You always hear of that Olympic jump, young guys that play for Team USA in the Olympics, they take that jump,” he said. “Last year for me playing USA brought me to another level. I have no doubt in my mind that playing here is going to take me to another level this upcoming season.”