INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton is officially an Olympian and has an iconic jersey to show for it.
The Indiana Pacers All-Star was surprised by USA Basketball Managing Director Grant Hill Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Haliburton said he was expecting to watch game film when head coach Rick Carlisle led him into a meeting room.
Instead, Hill was there to formally welcome him to Team USA for the Summer Olympics in Paris. He also handed Haliburton his Olympic jersey.
Haliburton will wear No. 9 at the Games, the same number worn by Michael Jordan as a member of the original "Dream Team" at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
"It's pretty cool. A moment I've wanted my whole life. It's really cool to be able to get this honor and won't take it for granted. So I'm really excited about it," Haliburton said in a video shared by USA Basketball.
The Pacers guard was one of 12 NBA stars named to this year's Olympic team earlier this week. He'll be joined in Paris by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Anthony Edwards and Kawhi Leonard.
The men's basketball team will open group play in Paris against Serbia on Sunday, July 28. They play South Sudan on Wednesday, July 31 and a to-be-determined qualifier on Saturday, Aug. 3. The quarterfinals are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Aug. 6, with the semifinals two days later and the bronze- and gold-medal games on Saturday, Aug. 10.