NBA ALL-STAR 3-POINT CONTEST

February 18, 2023

Tyrese Haliburton

Press Conference

Q. Tyrese, first of all, what did you think out there?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: It was fun. I had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I choked in the last round, but, you know, things happen. I'll be back next year.

Q. How much pressure is it when you make the finals like that?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: None. I missed the first two racks. That messed me up, and I missed both of my STARRY shots. Man, unfortunate ending.

Q. Just talk about this experience that you had already here tonight?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: It's been awesome. It's been awesome to be around the guys, getting to know everybody more. To have conversations about their daily life, it's been awesome.

Q. We talked early today about what you were expecting. How was it so far, just what you were envisioning, compared to what it is?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: It's been about the same. I understand that all these guys here, we're all human beings and NBA players at the end of the day. Just being around each other has been a lot of fun.

Q. Could you tell that you had cooled off a little bit in between rounds?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: No, no, no. After I missed the second rack, I was like, oh, this is bad, this is bad. I missed both my STARRY shots. That messed me up.

Q. I guess, obviously, did you feel it to a degree? How did that kind of start to feel like? Was it warm-up, and then you get to the rack, and then they start going in? How did it feel going into the start there?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: I felt good when I did my 3-point practice this morning. It was just building off of what I did. Damn, I'm hot right now, but, like I said, just book Tyrese next year. I'll be in the contest next year. I'm going to get this back for sure.

Q. Does Buddy have the trash talk going right now? Does he technically win this battle?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: Not really. I had 31 [in the first round]. That's the highest he has ever gotten in his life. He will probably talk to me and say, "I'm the one who -- I had a chance to win it, and I didn't do it," but he lost too. So at the end of the day we both lost, so take the lick and go home.

Q. I asked Tyler [Herro] earlier about yourself, him, and there's the Bucks players. But Wisconsin pride on the line a little bit. I know he had a rough night. You guys have grown up together a little bit and played against each other. What was it like to have at least the two of you in this competition?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: There was a moment there we sat on the bench and we were reflecting. Man, think about where we are right now. You know, we played AAU together from sixth grade to eighth grade. Obviously, a guy that will hold me accountable on my development as a basketball player, and I hope I do the same for him. We push each other.

We don't communicate a ton these days, but we see what each other are doing, and I think we use that to push each other. That's good for both of us.

Q. 31 points. What was the feeling, and just entertaining the crowd that way?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: It felt good. Choked in the end, though. 31 is, like, a high. I was expecting to get at least 25 going into the end there. I knew -- I was, like, at least 25. I didn't get under 25 in one practice session, and I just choked. I just choked.

Q. Just a few words about your partner, Buddy Hield, who was here. I come from Montreal, so I'm just curious to tell you about Bennedict Mathurin. What do you think about this young player?

TYRESE HALIBURTON: Bennedict is awesome. He has been awesome for us this year. He has helped us in so many different ways. I think the All-Stars, we have a couple of guys from Canada. We have him, Drew [Andrew Nembhard], Oshae [Brissett]. Am I missing anybody from Canada? Those three? Those three, yeah. I think that's a cool little connection we have with Canada. Just exciting overall for everybody.