The Golden State Warriors are projected to have a high lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft and while the team has frequently been linked to highly touted prospect LaMelo Ball, Golden State reportedly favors point guard Tyrese Haliburton over Ball.
“He’s an elite passer who takes sound shots and can play off the ball when necessary. On defense, Haliburton has the length and athleticism to defend multiple positions. I’ve been told that he has emerged as the No. 1 point guard on the Warriors’ board — yes, above LaMelo Ball and Killian Hayes,” Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote.
With Klay Thompson missing the entire season due to injury and Steph Curry playing only a handful of games before breaking his hand, the Warriors went from a Finals team to the worst team in the NBA. They finished with a 15-50 record and are in prime position to add some young talent to their roster. And reportedly, Haliburton has risen up the Warriors’ draft board.
“If Golden State lands anywhere between No. 2 and No. 5, it will seriously consider Haliburton,” Letourneau added.
Haliburton played two seasons at Iowa State but missed the end of his sophomore season after fracturing his wrist in a game against Kansas State in February. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.9 rebounds in 22 games. Haliburton has been criticized by some for his unconventional shooting form but it does not seem to be deterring the Warriors’ interest.
“My form is not traditional right now, but it was even worse as a freshman because I wasn’t strong enough to really get it there,” Haliburton told ESPN. “I’ve had to get more used to getting it off in different ways. Even this year, I played with it a little bit because I knew I’d be more of an emphasis defensively. You might see sometimes my pull-up doesn’t look the same as my catch-and-shoot shot. But it’s just dependent on how I can get it there. I feel like I put a lot of time in and no matter how I release it, I feel like every shot’s going in.”
