INDIANAPOLIS (KCCI) — A former Iowa State basketball great is heading to the NBA All-Star game next month, and he’ll take the floor as a starter. Tyrese Haliburton, who stars for the Indiana Pacers now after spending two years at Iowa State, was named one of the starting guards for the Eastern Conference ahead of the Feb. 18 All-Star game, which his Pacers will host in Indianapolis.

Haliburton will be joined in the starting backcourt by Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard, along with frontcourt players Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), reigning MVP Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks). Haliburton was the leading vote-getter among Eastern Conference guards in all three categories — the fan vote, the player rank and the media rank.

This is Haliburton’s second All-Star appearance in four years as a pro. He came off the bench in last year’s All-Star game to post 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting for Team LeBron. Haliburton joined Iowa State in the class of 2018, entering the starting lineup in his second game as a Cyclone and never relinquishing his starting spot. He helped Iowa State win the Big 12 Tournament in 2019 as a freshman before becoming an All-Big 12 player as a sophomore despite a season-ending injury in February of that year.

He set a program record with 17 assists in one game in win over Southern on Dec. 9, 2018. Haliburton was the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after leaving ISU following his sophomore season.