Haliburton credit Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum for “maintaining it 100” conversations that helped him construct that immunity to rejection. Embiid, who has been topic to ridicule as he fails to remain wholesome, has been texting with Haliburton all through the postseason, imploring him to shoot the ball extra. “Sooner or later, worrying about what my friends suppose solely holds a lot weight. I feel my friends (whom) I actually respect, that modifications issues,” Haliburton mentioned. “For that ballot, there’s no names to faces, it’s all nameless. Having relationships with guys like Jayson and Joel, who’re guys that I do know on the prime of the sport, them being trustworthy with me, that’s necessary. I respect their opinions greater than anyone.” -via New York Occasions / Might 7, 2025