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

Tyrese Haliburton, a standout NBA player who led the Indiana Pacers to the 2024-25 NBA Finals before suffering a major injury last season, recently shared insights about his experience during the 2020 NBA Draft. Speaking on the podcast "Numbers On The Board," Haliburton revealed that he had private workouts with several teams including Golden State, Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota. He recalled that Golden State's coach Steve Kerr told him he would be a perfect fit but they could not pick him second overall.

Haliburton expected to be selected fourth but was surprised when Chicago chose Patrick Williams. He was confident Detroit would pick him next but they opted for Killian Hayes instead. He also recounted a near-selection by Washington at ninth overall, despite never interviewing with them and the team still having John Wall as their starting point guard. Haliburton questioned whether he would have been a backup to Wall.

He believes Washington might have coordinated with Detroit about selecting Deni Avdija, who was eventually picked eighth by Washington, just before Haliburton's expected ninth pick. Haliburton was ultimately selected 12th overall by Sacramento. His reflections highlight the unpredictability and behind-the-scenes negotiations of the draft process.