Shocking: Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton named most overrated player by 158 NBA players

Tyrese Haliburton has undoubtedly blossomed into a star since his move to the Indiana Pacers. Averaging 19.7 points and 10.2 assists per game, the dynamic guard has earned All-Star nods in two of his three seasons with Indiana. Yet despite his success, not everyone around the league seems convinced.

In a surprising twist, Haliburton was voted the NBA’s most overrated player in a 2025 anonymous player poll conducted by The Athletic. He garnered 14.4% of the vote, finishing ahead of perennial poll regulars Rudy Gobert and Trae Young.

Players speak: Haliburton leads the vote

This year's survey was answered by 158 NBA players, with at least one from each NBA team contributing. Fans might not agree, but the results come right from the mouths of the people sharing the court with these athletes.

This year's polling makes way for many raised eyebrows as it does for relatively low 3.4% voting figures for Haliburton in 2024. The Athletic also made sure that there were no player quotes added either for the 'reason' that asked Haliburton jumped to the top in 2025, leaving fans to assume.

Possibly due to a slump in statistics

This season, he saw his stats across the board drop. He has not made the All-Star Game his first time since joining the Pacers. Perhaps combined with the fact that his numbers are falling coincident with a lofty rise to expectation, this resulted in the intensified critique.

Rudy Gobert, Trae Young, will remain familiar names for the aforementioned list

Rudy Gobert, best known for being regularly tagged in the "overrated" discussions despite his four Defensive Player of the Year awards, was once again mentioned prominently. Trae Young, well recognized for offense, also found himself atop the list, gathering third.

Cade Cunningham voted as most underrated by NBA players

Meanwhile on the other end, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been named the most underrated player by players of the league. The 23-year-old guard put together a superb season, averaging 26.1 points and 9.1 assists, which earned him a spot in his first All-Star Game. His stellar performance has brought new life into what had been a struggling Pistons franchise in recent years.

Also on the credits are Derrick White and Norman Powell

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White was followed on the "underrated" list by Clippers veteran Norman Powell. White built a reputation for elite defense and reliable offense inside the NBA but never got an All-Star nod at this time. On the other hand, Powell has had considerable success in getting recognized as a Sixth Man contender during his time with the Clippers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the pack among MVP candidates in players' opinions

Of the MVP race, the player poll said a majority of members identified the Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as their pick for the league MVP. The Canadian guard thus got the edge over two-time MVP Nikola Jokić in the voting.

Victor Wembanyama viewed as the future of the NBA

When it came to voting on future faces of the league, the overwhelming choice was Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. The 21-year-old big man kept dazzling in his second season with 24.3 points and 11 rebounds a game. His combination of size, skill, and versatility has many believing he's the next transcendent talent in the league.