Pacers guard TJ McConnell pushes Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell have been teammates for less than a year. Haliburton was acquired by the Pacers from Sacramento in February. The two didn't play against each other until the start of training camp. The relationship between the two is friendly but competitive. They text and check in often off the court. It's Haliberton's third NBA season. He was a three-star recruit out of high school and the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft. His resume is different from that of McConnell. In training, Halberton thought McConnell was an intern.

Tyrese Haliburton is enjoying his third NBA season with the Pacers. He's making improvements in his game. Haliburton's career is at a crossroads. The Pacers are betting on his abilities. He is a focal point of the Indiana offense. His career high in scoring (21.9 points per game) and shots (15.1) is through eight games. In his second season, he's also made 9.4 assists per games and .488 shooting percentage. McConnell pushes Haliberton to get better in practice. It's why the front office decided to part with all-star center Domantas Sabonis.