Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton Headline NBA Finals/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton took nontraditional paths to stardom. Both guards overcame early setbacks and trades before leading teams to the NBA Finals. Their journeys reflect grit, resilience, and unexpected greatness on basketball’s biggest stage.
NBA Finals Underdogs: Quick Looks
- Gilgeous-Alexander’s Rise: Cut in high school, traded early, now an MVP leading OKC to the Finals.
- Haliburton’s Journey: Overlooked by major programs, now Indiana’s star floor general and Olympic gold medalist.
- Unexpected Paths: Neither was a one-and-done nor a top-10 draft pick.
- Stat Leaders: SGA led the league with 32.7 PPG; Haliburton averages 9.8 assists in playoffs.
- Resilience Through Adversity: Both players used doubt and criticism as fuel.
- Key Game 1 Matchup: NBA Finals tip off Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
- Symbol of Grit: Their presence on this stage challenges assumptions about what defines superstardom.
- Legacy in the Making: These Finals may rewrite narratives for both players.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton Headline NBA Finals
Deep Look
NBA Finals Spotlight: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton Rewrite the Superstar Blueprint
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton were never supposed to be here — not according to traditional NBA pipelines. Yet as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers prepare for Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, these two guards stand as the defining stars of the league’s most prestigious stage.
Their stories are not built on hype or privilege but rather relentless work, resilience, and an unshakable belief in their own potential.
From Cut to MVP: The Story of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander’s road began with rejection — cut from his junior varsity team in ninth grade. He entered college ball with little fanfare and didn’t start immediately at Kentucky. He wasn’t drafted in the top 10. He was traded by the Clippers after just one season.
Yet today, the 6-foot-6 Canadian guard is the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, the league’s leading scorer (32.7 PPG), and the soul of a Thunder team that clawed its way from irrelevance to Finals contention.
“It’s been a roller coaster,” Gilgeous-Alexander admitted. “But once I figured out how to stay level, everything changed.”
He’s also averaged 29.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds during these playoffs — remarkable numbers that reflect the distance traveled from being overlooked to becoming undeniable.
Haliburton: From Underrated to Indiana Icon
Like his Finals counterpart, Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t a top recruit or a one-and-done player. He emerged from Wisconsin’s Oshkosh North High School with few offers before Iowa State took a chance. He suffered a wrist injury before the 2020 draft, wasn’t a top-10 pick, and was ultimately traded by Sacramento for Domantas Sabonis.
That trade unlocked something special. Haliburton blossomed in Indiana, becoming a two-time All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist, and the offensive engine of a Pacers team that outlasted Milwaukee, Cleveland, and New York to reach the Finals.
“Sometimes I think they saw more in me than I saw in myself,” Haliburton said of the Pacers.
In this postseason, he’s posted 18.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. All while dealing with criticism — including an anonymous player poll naming him the most overrated player in the league.
Thunder forward Jalen Williams praised his poise under pressure:
“He’s confident — extremely confident. That makes him dangerous.”
More Than Just Stats: Two Paths, One Destination
What unites Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton isn’t just their performance — it’s their journey.
Both were traded early in their careers. Both have weathered doubt and defied projections. Neither came from the blue-chip mold that often defines NBA Finals heroes.
Instead, they’ve authored new narratives.
“All the moments I got cut, traded, slighted, overlooked,” Gilgeous-Alexander said while reflecting on his MVP win. “It all helped make me who I am.”
Haliburton had to wait years before reaching the playoffs. In his first taste last year, injury kept him from finishing the series. This year, he helped deliver the Pacers back to relevance.
The Road Ahead: Game 1 and Legacy Stakes
As Game 1 tips off in Oklahoma City, the spotlight will finally be on Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton — not as underdogs, but as finalists, leaders, and trailblazers for a new generation of stars.
The series is more than a battle between two teams — it’s a celebration of two players who proved that talent, patience, and perseverance can still take you to the top.
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