US EditionShai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton Took Roads Less Traveled to Stardom in the NBA Finals (Copy)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers lead their teams in the 2025 NBA Finals after unlikely journeys.
- Both players overcame early challenges, with Haliburton gaining major college attention only his senior year and Gilgeous-Alexander developing from his formative years in Canada when the Thunder were a struggling team.
- Gilgeous-Alexander secured the 2024–25 league MVP title by leading the regular season in scoring with an average of 32.7 points per game, and he maintained nearly 30 points per game in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Haliburton, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time All-Star, has propelled Indiana past Milwaukee, Cleveland, and New York.
- Gilgeous-Alexander said, "It's been a roller coaster," recalling nights doubting and believing in himself, while Haliburton praised Indiana for taking a chance on him, adding his mentality to stay level helped him through doubts and critics calling him overrated.
- Their unexpected Finals roles contrast with familiar stars like LeBron James, suggesting a changing NBA landscape where confidence and perseverance can overcome early doubts and criticism.
50 Articles
50 Articles
When the ball is set in motion this Thursday at the NBA final (early Thursday to Friday in Spain, at 2.30, Movistar), the fans’ eyes will focus on the bases on the court: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers. One is a Canadian-born player of elegant style. The other, originally from Wisconsin, has cold blood to decide the matches to the sound of the horn. SGA is the league’s MVP, while Haliburton …
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton took roads less traveled to stardom in the NBA Finals (copy)
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton weren’t expected to ever be starring in leading roles on the NBA Finals stage.
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