PSO Scouting Report: G Tyrese Haliburton

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: G

Hometown: Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Team: Iowa State

Class: Sophomore

DOB (Age): 2/29/00 (Age 20)

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 175 lbs.

Facts to Know

Set Iowa State single game assist record as a freshman with 17 AST & only 1 TO against Southern
Cousin is Eddie Jones, who was a 3x All-Star and 14-year NBA veteran from 1994-2008
1st Iowa State player with a triple-double in a game since Monte Morris (Nuggets) in 2016

Athleticism

Pros

Very long wingspan especially for 6’5 height
Elite ability to contort his body mid-air for some tough, unexpected finishes
Quick player inside tight windows of space & uses his length to wiggle around defenders
Balanced and low to the ground when in defensive stance
Great at sliding his feet on defense to stay in front of his matchup
Shows impressive speed with or without the ball in his hands, especially in transition

Cons

Thin frame; Will need to add weight to compete at all positions defensively
Lack of strength leads to him getting knocked around easily on both ends of the floor
Dexterity needs work, off-hand athleticism is not equal to strong hand
Average leaping ability, not super explosive around the rim

Grade: B+

NBA Skills

Pros

Great basketball IQ shown in his passing instincts
Especially good at finding open shooters on the perimeter
Advanced feel for the game helps his off-ball skills; Knows where to be at all times
Has had no problem shooting from NBA range, showing a consistent and confident jumper
Footwork to get to the rim in a hurry in a very efficient manner, using head fakes to bate defenders
Developed a quality mid-range and floater game to keep defenses on their toes
Can play well and potentially thrive in an up-tempo system with or without the ball
Active on the defensive side of the ball and shows good footwork and technique

Cons

Unconventional shot form could lead to shooting problems down the road
Somewhat of a streaky shooter, will need to be more consistent
Lacks any go-to moves offensively due to an overall weak handle
Failed to hit pull-up jumpers consistently in college that stood out as a real flaw in his game
Low natural scoring ability in the half-court, improvisation might not work at the next level
Does not finish well through contact and often avoids it for a worse shot
Never finished with his left-hand and rarely dribbled much with his left
Struggled in on-ball defensive situations at times, especially when facing a bigger/stronger matchup

Grade: B

Production

Pros

Very efficient across the board 50% FG/41% 3P/82% FT
37% Projected NBA 3P% is very good for pass first guard
Good steals (2.4) and blocks (0.7) for a guard
Only 4 games with under 12 points in 2019-2020 season
1.2 fouls a game, will keep him on the floor
121.5 offensive rating is very high
Great increase in production from year 1 to year 2, showing vast improvement in almost all facets

Cons

2 FTA per game on 11 FGA way too low; needs to get to the line more
Low usage rate (20.1) especially for a point guard; should be more involved

Grade: A-

Risk

Pros

No ego, went relatively unnoticed in high school and burst onto scene in 2019 with a chip on his shoulder
Great creator for his teammates despite being the most talented player on the team
Ideal guard defender’s frame if/when he adds muscle to upper body
Despite injury, he noticeably stayed active and engaged during team’s postseason push; natural leader

Cons

Serious concerns about mechanics and general scoring ability
Broken left wrist ended his season in February (first major injury of career)
Skinny frame could lead to huge injury risk and a lack of success without gaining muscle
His passing is great, but little else will be on there on day 1, so he might not be a good fit for bad teams

Grade: B

Overall

3-star recruits rarely find themselves in the lottery discussion after just two years at school. When it comes to Tyrese Haliburton however, many have come to expect the unexpected. As a Freshman, he found playing time in a very crowded backcourt at Iowa State. His first breakthrough came for the U19 USA team during the FIBA games in Greece where he led the entire tournament in assists per game and won a gold medal.

Iowa State suffered a severe talent drop off in 2020, but Haliburton exceeded expectations. He showed that he is able to command an offense and run a fast-paced attack. His basketball IQ and passing abilities should adjust well to the NBA and he has an uncanny knack to find open shooters behind the arc. There are some questions about his isolation play on both sides of the ball which are legitimate and could hold him back from reaching All-Star potential. Nevertheless, teams would be lucky to add a player like Haliburton who will always play his role and make others around him better.

Pro Comp: Lonzo Ball (NOP)

Projected Round/Pick: Top-10

Prime Destinations: DET (#7), NYK (#8), BOS (#14)

OVERALL Grade: B+