As Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton continues his grueling Achilles rehab, he offered a glimpse into his long road ahead. The two-time All-Star also touched on his eagerness to make a triumphant return to the court following a heartbreaking finish to his first NBA Finals appearance.
Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon early in Indiana’s 103-91 Game 7 Finals road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 22 and underwent surgery the following day. The crushing blow not only cost him a chance to seize his first championship, but it will also sideline him for the entire 2025-26 season.
On July 7, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard confirmed that Haliburton “will not play next year,” underscoring the importance of not jeopardizing the franchise cornerstone’s long-term future. With his comeback far off, Haliburton has been doing all he can to keep his mind at ease.
How Is Tyrese Haliburton Navigating His Extended Return Timeline?
On Tuesday’s episode of “Impaulsive with Logan Paul,” Haliburton was asked if he has a “pent-up level of energy and optimism” for when he’s cleared to return. The 25-year-old concurred, noting that he is just over two months into a 15-month recovery schedule.
“Basically, from the injury, I think 15 months until I play my next game,” Haliburton said.
Haliburton added that he has been working to stay level-headed throughout the process, while envisioning how his comeback will unfold in the 2026-27 campaign. “A lot of journaling, just writing stuff down, getting thoughts out. All those things have definitely been good,” Haliburton began.
“But yeah, just trying to think, like, ‘Bro, what color shoes am I going to wear when I get back?’ Just thinking about all those little things. ‘How are we going to build? What’s gonna be my social media strategy? What’s the promo going to look like?’ All those things have been fun to think about.”
Still, the 2024 NBA assists leader acknowledged that the repetitive nature of his daily physical therapy routine has taken its toll on him.
“It’s a slow process, bro. It’s like Groundhog Day every single day,” Haliburton explained. “Doing the same sh*t, same lifts, all those same things, but it is what it is.”
In Haliburton’s absence, the Pascal Siakam-led Pacers are expected to vie for a lower playoff seed after finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference (50-32) last season. Given Haliburton’s age and upside, if his rehab goes smoothly, he could be poised to lead his squad back to contention in 2027.
