Tyrese Haliburton Recalls 2020 NBA Draft Moment When Deni Avdija Was Selected Instead

Tyrese Haliburton, a standout NBA player who led the Indiana Pacers to the 2024-25 NBA Finals before suffering a season-long injury, recently reflected on the 2020 NBA Draft during a podcast appearance on 'Numbers On The Board.' Haliburton, who was ultimately picked 12th by Sacramento, shared insights about his draft experience and the teams that showed interest in him.

He revealed that he held private workouts with Golden State, Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota. Despite Golden State coach Steve Kerr expressing that Haliburton would be a perfect fit, they could not select him second overall. Haliburton expected to be chosen fourth but was passed over when Chicago selected Patrick Williams. He was confident Detroit would pick him but was surprised when they chose Killian Hayes instead.

Haliburton also recounted how Washington nearly drafted him ninth overall, despite him never interviewing with them and the team still having John Wall as their point guard. He questioned the logic of being a backup to Wall. He believes Washington was in talks with Detroit about selecting Deni Avdija, who was ultimately picked eighth by Washington. Haliburton thought he would be the ninth pick but was passed over when Jalen Suggs was selected eighth.

This candid recounting highlights the unpredictability of the draft and the near-miss moments that shaped Haliburton's NBA journey.