NBA players have made an unexpected choice when asked their opinion in the league’s most overrated player.
The Athletic on Tuesday announced the results of its annual anonymous player survey, which showed that Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is the most popular pick for the title of “most overrated player.” 90 players voted on the question, and it should be noted that only 14.4% of them chose Haliburton, but that was enough to make him the most selected choice.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert came in second with 10% of the vote, while Atlanta’s Trae Young, who formerly held the title, was third at 8.9%.
Haliburton is a somewhat surprising choice because the perception does not really align with what the public thinks. The 25-year-old has established himself as a two-time All-Star who has averaged a double-double twice in his young career. This season, he averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game as the clear No. 1 option for an Indiana team that went 50-32.
Despite the plaudits, Haliburton does have his critics. Some ex-pros have accused him of talking too much trash, and he has formed a pretty strong rivalry with one team in particular. He was also stuck riding the bench for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics, which probably did not help perceptions of him.
Haliburton has shown in the past that he has no trouble shrugging off his critics. This title probably will not bother him too much.
