Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton set to play again in Paris, where he won Olympic gold last summer

PARIS (AP) — This week in Paris is going to serve as a trip down memory lane for San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama. He’s the hometown hero, the French star coming back to put on a show for his country.

It’s a memory-lane trip for Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton as well.

He was among the players on the top step of the Paris Games medal stand when his last visit to France ended in August, part of USA Basketball’s team that delivered a fifth consecutive Olympic men’s gold medal. And these games this week — Indiana vs. San Antonio, Thursday and Saturday — will surely remind Haliburton what it was like to be atop the basketball world.

“It’s a very special thing to be part of a special group of people and man, it’s been a blessing,” Haliburton said. “I think the biggest thing is once you start to feel what it’s like to win a little bit, once you feel the importance of success, you want more of it.”

Go back about 14 months or so, to a night in Miami — Nov. 30, 2023, to be exact — when Haliburton and the Pacers lost to the Heat, 142-132. Haliburton had a monster game, 44 points and 10 assists. But Indiana gave up 45 points in the fourth and let the game get away.

He sat at his locker after the game, completely calm, polite, engaging with reporters. And then Haliburton — already a max-contract player, getting that massive rookie extension in the summer of 2023 — offered The Quote, one that he knew as soon as he said it might follow him around for a while.

“I just wanna win,” he said. “I’m tired of being a loser.”

Those weren’t just words. They were more like a vow. And evidently, he took it all to heart. Here’s some of what he and/or the Pacers have done since that night:

— Made the championship game of last season’s inaugural NBA in-season tournament, now called the NBA Cup.

— Made the Eastern Conference finals, his first postseason run.

— He scored 32 points in an All-Star Game, hitting 10 3-pointers, five of them in a span of about 90 seconds.

— He made his first All-NBA team.

— He won his first assist title.

— He was on the team that won Olympic gold.

“An unbelievable last year and a half for me,” Haliburton said.

When Haliburton is right — and injuries have been an issue for him — the Pacers are tough to beat. He’s made more than 50% of his shots in 14 games this season; Indiana is 12-2 in those games. He’s scored 20 or more points 15 times this season; Indiana is 13-2 in those games. He’s had 10 or more assists 16 times this season; Indiana is 13-3 in those games.

The Pacers have survived some rocky stretches and are 24-19, fifth in the Eastern Conference, just a game back of No. 4 Milwaukee — yet also only two games ahead of No. 8 Miami. A couple wins in France obviously wouldn’t hurt the playoff positioning cause.

“We had a hellacious schedule at the beginning (of the season), probably in large part due to the Paris trip and everything being compressed,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, explaining this stretch where Indiana has won nine of its last 11 games. “That’s challenging, but it hardens your resolve and makes you tougher. What do they say about pressure? It bursts pipes or it makes diamonds, and you hope that is the kind of thing where it can bring out the best in us. So. we’re doing some good things and we’ve got more work to do.”

The Pacers know what they’re capable of. Haliburton knows what he’s capable of. Yes, they are getting second-billing on the NBA marquees in Paris — no surprise considering that Wembanyama is, you know, French.

But he’s faced the home team in Paris once before, and came away with Olympic gold. Last summer saw Haliburton forge deep ties with some of the best players the world has ever seen; the group chat has slowed in the months since, but it’s still there. He’s got Olympic jerseys with everyone’s signature to frame. He’s learned alongside some of the greats, the likes of Stephen Curry and LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

“It’s a lot,” Haliburton said. “And I’m thankful for all of it.”

This much is certain: Win or lose in Paris, Haliburton isn’t going to think he’s a loser again anytime soon.

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