Tyrese Haliburton has played 4 seasons with the Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers have been home to some talented table-setters throughout their 50 seasons in the NBA, from Mark Jackson in the 1990s and early 2000s to Tyrese Haliburton over the last few years. Today, we’re highlighting which hoopers have had the best assists per game seasons in franchise history.
Tyrese Haliburton, 2024, 10.9 APG
Haliburton has blossomed into one of the best young stars in today’s NBA. Known for his flashy, creative passes and clutch buckets, the 25-year-old was crowned the 2023-24 assist champ thanks to a career-high 10.9 apg across 69 outings with Indiana. ‘Hali’ added 20.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game to earn a second straight All-Star nod and the first All-NBA selection of his career, compiling 44 double-doubles and his first and only triple-double to date. Haliburton is one of two Pacers to rack up 20-plus points and 20-plus assists in the same game, accomplishing the feat in back-to-back contests in December 2023 while setting a personal best with 23 dimes.
Tyrese Haliburton, 2023, 10.4 APG
In his first full campaign as a Pacer in 2022-23, Haliburton broke out with averages of 20.7 points, 10.4 assists, and 1.6 steals on shooting splits of 49.0/40.0/87.1 in 56 games. He made the All-Star team for the first time in his three seasons at age 22, amassing career-highs in points, field goal percentage, free-throw accuracy, and, at the time, assists. ‘The Moment’, a moniker given to the dynamic point guard after his multiple game-winners during the 2024-25 playoffs, recorded 32 double-doubles and 34 outings with ten or more helpers.
Tyrese Haliburton, 2025, 9.2 APG
Haliburton’s final appearance on Indiana’s list comes after an incredible 2024-25 season when he put up 18.6 points and 9.2 assists against a career-low 1.6 turnovers per game. The 12th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings registered two outings with 20-plus points, 15-plus assists and zero turnovers, giving him the most such games in NBA history with nine total, ahead of legends Chris Paul, John Stockton and Magic Johnson, to name a few. Over his five years as a pro, Haliburton owns career averages of 17.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 8.8 apg, and 1.5 spg across 333 total contests.
Mark Jackson, 1998, 8.7 APG
A year after leading the NBA in assists with 11.4 per game between the Nuggets and Pacers, Jackson turned in his best passing campaign during his five and a half seasons in Indiana by dishing out 8.7 dimes a night in 1997-98. He appeared in all 82 games that year, a feat the St. John’s product accomplished nine times in his 17-year career, adding 8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals against 2.1 turnovers. Jackson also played for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, and Houston Rockets, posting career averages of 9.6 ppg, 8.0 apg, and 1.2 spg in 1,296 appearances.
Don Buse, 1977, 8.5 APG
Buse rounds out our list today with his debut in the NBA during the 1976-77 season, when he averaged 8.0 points per game while leading the league in assists (8.5) and steals (3.5). The Huntingburg, Indiana native was a two-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive First Team selection across his 13-year career in the ABA and NBA, where he helped the Pacers win the 1973 ABA championship in his rookie year. Buse made 539 total appearances for the franchise, recording 7.7 ppg, 5.1 apg, and 2.4 spg in 29.1 minutes. He also suited up with the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, and Kansas City Kings before retiring in 1985.
