Following a whirlwind 24 hours, Tyrese Haliburton found the words to contextualize his emotions.
“Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock,” the Indiana Pacers star guard said on Monday on X in his first public statement since tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. “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.”
Haliburton suffered the injury midway through the opening quarter of the winner-take-all finale against the Oklahoma City Thunder, falling to the floor after attempting to drive into the lane, immediately pounding the court in pain and frustration.
The 25-year-old was helped to the locker room and did not return with what the Pacers had called a right lower leg injury prior. An MRI on Monday confirmed that Haliburton had torn his Achilles.
“All of our hearts dropped,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday after the loss. “But he will be back.”
Haliburton played in Game 7 — starting a red-hot 3-of-4 from beyond the arc — despite battling a calf strain for most of the series. The two-time All-Star aggravated the injury in Game 5 but kept playing, even entering Games 6 and 7 as a game-time decision because of it.
And although his season and stellar playoff run came to a devastating end, Haliburton remained proud of his resilience.
“Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through.”
The Pacers star also had a message for fans in Indiana who were still reeling after their team fell one game short of a first NBA title and a massive upset of the juggernaut Thunder.
“Indy, I’m sorry. If any fan base doesn’t deserve this, it’s y’all,” Haliburton added, reflecting on the Pacers’ first Finals appearance in 25 years. “But together we are going to fight like hell to get back to this very spot, and get over this hurdle. I don’t doubt for a second that y’all have my back, and I hope you guys know that I have yours.”
Haliburton was the third player to suffer a torn Achilles in these NBA Playoffs. Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard in the first round and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in the East Semis both did so as well. All now face long recovery timelines that will presumably impact their teams’ outlooks for the 2025-26 season.
But despite those concerns, Haliburton appeared steadfast in his desire to return to court swiftly, referencing an NBA Hall of Famer who went through the same thing.
“I think Kobe (Bryant) said it best when in this same situation. ‘There are far greater issues/challenges in the world than a torn Achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever,'” Haliburton explained. “And that’s exactly right. I will do everything in my power to get back right. My journey to get to where I am today wasn’t by happenstance, I’ve pushed myself every day to be great. And I will continue to do just that.
“The most important part of this all, is that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for every single experience that’s led me here. I’m grateful for all the love from the hoop world. I don’t “have to” go through this, I get to go through this. I’m grateful for the road that lies ahead. 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.”
