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Wally Szczerbiak Backtracks On His Comments Towards Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton After Receiving Backlash [Watch]

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Tyrese Haliburton thinks Wally Szczerbiak is looking for attention. Szczerbiak, a Knicks analyst on MSG Network, tore guard Pacers Haliburton apart on Sunday, calling it a “wannabe, fake All-Star” after Indiana lost 109-106 against the Knicks in Indianapolis.

In an interview with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report on Wednesday, Haliburton was asked what he did to Szczerbiak to appeal to criticism.

“I have no clue,” Haliburton said. “I know the name Wally Szczerbiak, but I couldn’t tell you where he played. I couldn’t tell you what he did as a basketball player. I don’t know.”

Szczerbiak spent the majority of his 10 seasons in the NBA with the Timberwolves, making the All-Star team once, in 2002.

“He had a lot to say about me and I was like really questioning like, first, who is this?” Haliburton said. “And why is he talking about me like this. I don’t know if I ever come out and said like, ‘I wanna be and All-Star this year. Please vote for me.’ I don’t think, I didn’t — I don’t think I’ve done that.

“I don’t know, I think he just was excited about a Knicks win and that got him going. But he’s just doing whatever he can to get attention and that’s just the media these days.”

Szczerbiak, who also played for the Celtics, Supersonics and Cavaliers, apologized for her comments before MSG released the Knicks-Raptors game on Wednesday.

“I just want to address something I said about Tyrese Haliburton being a wannabe All-Star,” Szczerbiak said. “I want to apologize personally to Tyrese Haliburton. He’s a wonderful young player.

“He’s definitely in the All-Star conversation, along with guys like [Knicks forward] Julius Randle and [Knicks guard] Jalen Brunson. It’s going to be interesting to see who makes it and all those three players are wonderful players.”

Szczerbiak received a negative reaction on social media because of his comments as well as former NBA player Matt Barnes, who ripped the analyst, calling him a bum ass motherf****.” Barnes also referred to Szczerbiak’s comments as “super weak” and “some b**** a** s****.”

What do you think?

Written by Byron Nelson

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