After a sensational run in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, some people believe that Tyrese Haliburton has a chance to overtake Reggie Miller as the greatest player in Indiana Pacers history.
Haliburton had a historic postseason with four game-tying or go-ahead baskets in the final seconds of the game. He also had the game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. But, as clutch as Hali was and great as he will be when he returns from injury, Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway doesn’t think it will be easy to surpass Miller in Pacers history.
“Reggie never had a real serious injury. Haliburton is a great talent. He was gonna have an epic Game 7. You could see it in his eyes, you could see it in his demeanor and everything. I feel sorry for him. My prayers go out to him, and it’s kind of tough. But him getting past what Reggie Miller did. It’s gonna be hard,”said Hardaway in an exclusive interview with Action Network.
Reggie made five trips to the ECF in seven years
For starters, Miller started and ended his 18-year career in Indiana. Although it’s not Haliburton’s fault that he didn’t start his career with the Pacers.
While it’s not about longevity, Reggie’s 18 years in Indy resulted in his name being the franchise’s all-time leader in 16 different statistical categories, including points, steals, assists, free throws, 3-pointers, and games played.
Miller also led Indiana to the playoffs in all but three years of his NBA career. At his peak, the Pacers made five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals from 1993 to 2000, including an appearance in the 2000 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
But of course, if Hali can win the Pacers’ first NBA title, that would trump Miller’s long list of accolades and accomplishments. However, Tim Sr. doesn’t think it’s easy, especially after the Pacers let Myles Turner walk away without getting anything in return.
“They’re missing Myles Turner too,” added Hardaway. “I don’t know what happened with that. You could have given him whatever you wanted to give him, but you chose not to give him what he wanted, which was crazy to me.”
The Pacers need another mobile big man
Hardaway added that Haliburton and the Pacers agreeing that he will sit out the entire 2025-26 season was a good move for both parties because it gives Hali more than enough time to fully recover. If all goes well, Tim Sr. believes that Hali is going to return to form and lead the franchise back to prominence again.
“But him eclipsing Reggie? I could see it. He got another two more runs in him to get to the finals. I think they’re gonna put the right pieces around him. They need a center; they’re gonna need a mobile center. They’re gonna need a center that can do multiple things, like Myles Turner did. So I can see them getting back there,” he added.
While Hardaway didn’t say no, the reasons he outlined are almost the same. Indiana had a chance at continuity, but they let Turner go. For the retired guard, Turner was an integral part of their success. Finding his replacement may be the key to Hali becoming the greatest Pacer of all time.