They said the person they were talking about was me! Haliburton revealed his true feelings about sitting on the Olympic bench, making LeBron laugh out loud.

On January 28th Beijing time, Haliburton joined LeBron James’s podcast as a guest. He told a funny anecdote about learning that he would have limited minutes during the Olympic Games, causing LeBron to laugh heartily.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, the USA men’s basketball team fought their way to the gold medal. Indiana Pacers guard Haliburton saw very limited court time but accepted this role calmly. After winning, he posted a now-classic message on social media: “When you do nothing in a group project but still end up with an A.”

Let’s hear how Haliburton described his experience sitting on the Olympic bench—

“We were preparing, with some time before the games started, and the whole team was gathered backstage watching game footage for analysis. Before the video session began, the coaches held a meeting and clearly stated that not all 12 players would get playing time. Coach Kerr spoke first, saying not everyone would see minutes. Then LeBron shared his experience from the 2004 Athens Olympics—he didn’t get much playing time either. He advised everyone to put aside personal pride because the team’s success comes first. Durant agreed, adding that all 12 of us are All-Star caliber players with great skills, and our only goal from the start was to win.”

“I was sitting nearby, nodding in agreement and thinking ‘That’s right.’ But once the video analysis started, I began to wonder silently: ‘Who exactly are they talking about when they say some players won’t get minutes?’ I looked around and mentally ruled out each teammate: ‘Oh, it’s definitely not him, or him.’ Then it hit me: ‘Oh my god, they’re talking about me!’”

“I sat there with my mind blank: ‘No way, is it really me?’ The video was still playing, but I couldn’t focus at all. My only thought was: ‘It’s over, I’m not getting any playing time at the Olympics. That’s it, no chance at all.’”

Hearing Haliburton’s story, LeBron threw his head back and laughed uncontrollably.

In the end, during the Olympics held in France, Haliburton appeared in only 3 of the 6 games, totaling just 26 minutes on the court.

However, his performance in the 2024-25 season truly showcased his star quality. In the playoffs, he repeatedly hit clutch shots, leading the Pacers all the way to the NBA Finals, battling through to a Game 7. Unfortunately, in the decisive final against the eventual champions, the Thunder, Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon and had to miss the entire season. We sincerely hope he fully recovers and returns to shine on the court as one of the league’s top clutch players.

The 2028 Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, and with Haliburton’s talent, he will undoubtedly earn his rightful playing time on that USA men’s team.