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Projected first-round pick Tyrese Haliburton has been working out with several current and former players prior to the NBA draft but it was Gilbert Arenas that gave him the best piece of advice on the transition to the next level.
Haliburton, like many other prospects, has been training at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas prior to the draft. The facility often hosts workouts with several prospects during a typical offseason and they have all taken part in various drills in recent weeks.
The former Iowa State guard works out three times a day at Impact Basketball and has trained with the likes of Arenas, Troy Brown and Kyle O’Quinn among others. However, Haliburton thought the advice Arenas offered about getting to his spot on the court was the best.
He talked about, ‘You can shoot the ball really well, that’s what you do at a high level, the only thing you’re going to have to work on is getting angles and finding spots to get to that you can really get your shot whenever you want. Not making things more complex than they have to be. Simplify things: One dribble, two dribbles.’ His words of advice were basically, ‘When you shoot it, it’s going in for the most part if you can get it off. The most important part is just about getting to your spot.’
Of course, Arenas had an incredible run with the Washington Wizards during the mid-2000s and was one of the most electrifying players in the league at the time, earning three All-Star appearances. He has often helped mentor younger players and appears to be flourishing in that role.
Haliburton earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors last season after averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 22 games. He shot 50.4% from the field and 41.9% from 3-point range on 5.6 attempts per game.
Given his 6-foot-5 frame, and 7-foot wingspan, Haliburton is viewed as perhaps one of the most NBA-ready 3-and-D prospects in the draft. His ability is loved by several teams and is a huge reason why he is expected to be a high draft pick.
The NBA draft is scheduled to begin on Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.
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