It’s been a year since Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his right Achilles tendon, an injury that led to a heartbreaking 103-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Haliburton is working his way back to game shape in time for the 2026-27 campaign, and making a simple “heroic deed” for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever proves he is on the right track to recovery.
Tyrese Haliburton Helps Dislodge Basketball During Mercury-Fever Clash
Haliburton was courtside at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday night, watching the Fever take on the Phoenix Mercury when the ball became lodged behind the backboard during the opening minutes.
As Kelsey Mitchell and Clark sought to poke it free, the 6-foot-5 star rose from his seat, took over, and jumped slightly to reach for the ball with a mop pole.
The crowd watching the game live at the arena erupted in cheers for Haliburton. Indianapolis Star reporter Brian Haenchen posted a 15-second video of the heartfelt moment, captioned, “Tyrese Haliburton, ladies and gentlemen.”
Tyrese Haliburton, ladies and gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/ChI6XXeapb
— hank 🇰🇷 (@Brian_Haenchen) June 23, 2026
The fans kept shouting even after the Pacers star returned to his seat to watch the game.
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A fully healed Haliburton is good news for the Pacers, who went just 19-63 during the 2025-26 season without the standout playmaker.
The guard’s recovery from his torn right Achilles tendon was not easy, as he also had to contend with a bout of shingles that caused him to gain weight, led to the loss of part of his right eyebrow, and forced him to wear eyeglasses to avoid scratching his swollen eye.
The good news is that Haliburton has been cleared to play 5-on-5 basketball, as confirmed by Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard in a recent interview.
“He’s doing great. He’s come off about 10 pounds. He’s doing some five-on-five,” Pritchard said. “You know, he’s going to have a monthly ramp-up that takes some time, but we think he’s going to be ready for training camp. The Finals just ended, and you’re looking at four months, and the season starts. We’re confident he’ll be ready.”
Before succumbing to his season-ending injury, Haliburton put together a strong 2024-25 campaign, averaging 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game across 73 appearances. He also shot 47.3% from the floor and 38.8% from 3-point range.
