Could 2024 NBA Draft prospect Tyrese Proctor be the next Tyrese Haliburton?

Could 2024 NBA Draft prospect Tyrese Proctor could have a similar path to NBA stardom as Tyrese Haliburton?

Before you know it, the NBA season will be over and mock drafts will be flying around the internet. Hope and optimism will be in abundance as the letdowns from last season will subside. Every team with a draft pick will look to the draft to find their next contributor or, in an ideal scenario, a star player. Every year, the draft becomes a beacon of renewal, where fans and teams alike pin their dreams on young athletes who could turn the tide.

In this whirlwind of speculation and anticipation, experts, and armchair analysts dissect every potential pick. It's a time when college standouts and international prodigies become household names and every fan clings to the belief that their team's pick could be the next big star. The draft isn't just about selecting players; it's about igniting hope, rewriting narratives, and potentially altering the course of a franchise.

Point guard Tyrese Proctor of Duke University is such a player looking to hear his name called come draft night 2024. When looking at Tyrese Proctor, one can't help to draw comparisons to current NBA players. This begs the question, is Tyrese Proctor the next Tyrese Haliburton?

The similarities between Haliburton and Proctor can't be ignored

• Player A: 15.2 PPG, 6.5 APG, 5.9 RPG (50.4/41.9/82.2)
• Player B: 10.3 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.0 RPG (43.9/32.4/86.7)

The two players above represent either Tyrese Haliburton or Tyrese Proctor. These stats are both from their respective sophomore seasons. As you can see, they are both very successful statistical seasons, that have a high potential of translating to NBA success. Can you guess which one is which?

Player A is Tyrese Haliburton and player B is Tyrese Proctor.

The glamour stats might give it away a bit since Haliburton is a freak, but Tyrese Proctor is quietly a stat-stuffing fiend. His shooting percentages could use some work, but he's a college student and NBA teams are typically better at developing players' shooting strokes than colleges do.

When assessing the two, it's easy to see the comparison between them. The most obvious comparison is they're both named Tyrese. Secondly, they are both listed at 6-foot-5, weighing in at 185 lbs. Lastly, and most importantly, Proctor's game feels like it could mirror Haliburton's and translate into immediate NBA success. Proctor is a very solid isolation scorer, who can create chances for himself. He's also a very good facilitator, making those around him on offense better. Remind you of anyone? Team fit, like for most rookies, will play an important factor for Proctor.

While Haliburton would have had success in Sacramento, it was truly the move to Indiana that unlocked his full potential.

Their respective initial draft positioning seems to be a likely comparable point as well. Haliburton was selected in the late lottery, with the 12th pick in the draft. While Proctor right now is most likely a late-teens/early-twenties 1st round pick, I could easily see him sneaking into the late lottery, just like Haliburton. The athletic profile of the two of them is similar, but it most likely favors Proctor.

Much like Haliburton, Proctor's vision and perception have slowed the game down for him. He will make his greatest impact as a passer, much like Haliburton. He's got a great feel for the game and has an advanced offensive IQ that he will utilize to neutralize the opponent. He's got a shiftiness and a craftiness to his game that is eerily similar to Haliburton's.

While comparing college players, who have not played a minute in the NBA, to All-NBA/All-Star level NBA talent is incredibly unfair, sometimes you can't help it. Watching Tyrese Proctor play basketball, you can easily see the glimpses of Tyrese Haliburton in his game. It's hard not to get excited and compare the two, especially since they share the same name and physical size. If you get a chance, watch a Duke basketball game and give your own take on the analysis of Tyrese Proctor. Will he become the next Tyrese Haliburton, or will he fail to live up to the hype? Only time will tell.