The beef that nobody saw coming.
Following a recent matchup between the Knicks and Pacers, former NBA player Wally Szczerbiak had some things to say about Tyrese Haliburton that quickly caught the attention of the internet.
What problem does Szczerbiak have with Haliburton? Has Haliburton responded? And when could the two cross paths again?
Let's take a closer look.
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Tyrese Haliburton and Wally Szczerbiak beef, explained
Szczerbiak's comments about Haliburton came after New York's win over Indiana on Dec. 18.
A studio analyst for the Knicks, Szczerbiak called Haliburton a "supposed, wannabe, fake All-Star" while talking about a missed shot of his that would've given the Pacers the lead late in the game. He then propped up the All-Star cases for two players on the Knicks.
"He's a very good player, he's not going to make the All-Star team," Szczerbiak said of Haliburton. "A guy like Julius Randle or Jalen Brunson will make it over Tyrese Haliburton. Tonight we saw why."
Wally Szczerbiak going in on Tyrese Haliburton on the Knicks postgame show 😂 pic.twitter.com/QRJxJ3QuPN
— Kevin D. Water Law (@docKev_) December 19, 2022
The Knicks defeated the Pacers behind 30 points from Brunson and a 25-point, 14-rebound double-double from Randle. Haliburton had a double-double himself with 15 points and 10 assists, but he shot only 5-for-16 from the field.
As TSN's Kyle Irving detailed, Haliburton is a strong candidate to be named an All-Star this season. He's played a central role in Indiana's surprising start, posting 19.5 points and a league-leading 10.7 assists per game.
With how well the Knicks have been playing, both Brunson and Randle are expected to earn All-Star consideration as well.
Has Tyrese Haliburton responded to Wally Szczerbiak?
He sure has.
In a conversation with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks, Haliburton said he's not familiar with Szczerbiak's NBA career, which isn't hard to believe when you consider that he was nine years old when Szczerbiak retired.
"I know the name Wally Szczerbiak," Haliburton said. "I couldn't tell you where he played. I couldn't tell you what he did as a basketball player. I don't know. He had a lot to say about me. I was really questioning, first, who is this? And why is he talking about me like this?"
"I think he was just excited about a Knicks win," Haliburton continued. "He's just doing whatever he can to get attention. That's just the media these days."
Tyrese Haliburton responds to Wally Szczerbiak calling him a “wannabe All-Star” 👀
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 21, 2022
(via @taylorrooks) pic.twitter.com/S9sdzz6Ixo
The No. 6 pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Szczerbiak earned one All-Star selection in his career. He retired after the 2008-09 season with career averages of 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Szczerbiak played for four teams in his NBA career: Timberwolves, Celtics, Cavaliers and SuperSonics.
When do the Pacers and Knicks play again?
The Knicks and Pacers meet again on Jan. 11. The game will be played in New York, so maybe Haliburton and Szczerbiak will exchange pleasantries in person.
