'Being honest': Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton says Sacramento Kings had 'zero culture'

Tyrese Haliburton sees a difference in approach with his second team.

The Indiana Pacers guard joined J.J. Redick's podcast and discussed NBA culture at the 52:30 mark.

"My first two years I played played on a team and an organization with zero culture. Being honest," Haliburton said, referring to the Sacramento Kings. "The great part of coming to Indiana… I get to help build the culture here. Actually a lot is expected of me. That's my favorite part of this so far."

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Haliburton noted the Pacers were 5-5 at the time the podcast was recorded, the best 10-game start of his career.

"It just seems like we have guys who really enjoy playing with each other," he said.

The Kings selected Haliburton with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and he averaged 15.2 points over 1 1/2 seasons. He came to Indiana in February as part of the trade that sent Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento. Haliburton has averaged 19 points with the Pacers overall, 21.6 this season.

"Whatever we don't have in size or skill or athleticism, we make for with … you want to play well," he said. "You're almost doing the guys on the end of the bench a disservice by not playing hard."

Redick went deep on the importance of culture on an NBA team ("Culture is a fickle thing.). He said there were four of his 15 seasons in which he played for great teams that also had a great culture. He said the other seasons were a mixed bag, whether the team was losing or it seemed like going to practice and play was a chore.