The Indiana Pacers’ season took a gut-wrenching turn during the final moments of their 2025 NBA Finals run. Rising star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a devastating right Achilles tendon injury in the first quarter of Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 22.
The injury, which happened just minutes into the decisive contest, abruptly ended Haliburton’s chase for a championship and left fans, teammates, and the league stunned. With the Pacers’ title hopes dashed, Haliburton, 25, faces a long road to recovery and a defining offseason.
As Haliburton began his grueling rehab process after surgery, his girlfriend, Jade Jones, provided a welcome break from the basketball headlines.
Jade Jones Lights Up Instagram With Glamorous Night Out Amid Haliburton’s Recovery
On Wednesday night, Jones, a former Iowa State cheerleader, shared several snapshots from her evening out in her Instagram Stories. She posed in a mini dress featuring trendy pastel shades of Svelte Sage and October Mist, and completed her look with brown and beige slip-ons, a jute crocheted handbag, and loose hair.
The next few Instagram Stories included close-ups of her face and a picture of an Espresso Martini alongside a Cherry Bomb cocktail, taken while dining at the 1933 Lounge. While Haliburton did not appear in any of her Stories, the two drinks led some to wonder if the couple was out together. Others assumed Jones might have simply enjoyed a night out with friends.
Looking back at Haliburton’s injury, the moment unfolded early in the game. After he fell to the court in pain, an MRI the following day confirmed the worst: a ruptured right Achilles tendon. The Pacers star was quickly scheduled for surgery with Dr. Martin O’Malley at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery.
Despite the heartbreak of losing the Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Haliburton made an impact before his injury. He hit three three-pointers for nine points in just seven minutes of play, showing flashes of brilliance before having to leave the game.
Haliburton’s Heartbreaking Post After Surgery Following Indiana Pacers’ Title Loss
On Monday, June 23, Haliburton took to X to share his first public remarks after the operation. He posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed, hands forming a heart, and wrote, “Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown.”
He continued, “The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.” Haliburton added, “Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to ‘come back stronger’…. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind.”
Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.
Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the… pic.twitter.com/UyY0iFEp6Z
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 24, 2025
He ended his post by apologising to the Indiana fanbase, invoking the resilience of the late Kobe Bryant, and promising, “Watch how I come back from this. So, give me some time, I’ll dust myself off and get right back to being the best version of Tyrese Haliburton.”
Since the surgery, Haliburton has been spotted on a knee scooter, frequently calling out for Jones with a playful ring of a newly purchased bell. His girlfriend captured the moment in a lighthearted recovery video that quickly went viral. While the road back to full strength may be long, the couple’s resilience shines through every shared post and story.
