Shock. Letdown. Frustration. Those were some of the words that Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton used to describe the devastating injury he suffered during the NBA Finals Game 7 on Sunday (June 22). But the point guard also used the words proud, grateful, and comeback—and concluded his social media post with an encouraging message from Scripture.
During the first quarter of Sunday’s deciding game in Oklahoma City, Haliburton helped the Pacers take the lead by making three 3-pointers. He was playing with a right calf strain, hoping to help Indiana win its first-ever NBA title. But those hopes were crushed just seven minutes into the opening quarter, when Haliburton fell without contact and then slapped the floor in pain, yelling “No!”
The 25-year-old didn’t return to the court, and soon the team confirmed what viewers feared. Haliburton had torn his right Achilles tendon, meaning he’ll likely miss most or all of next season.
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Although the fourth-seeded Pacers rallied after losing their star player, their remarkable playoff run ended in a 103-91 loss to the Thunder. Commentators said Haliburton had “one of the most remarkable individual playoff runs in NBA history.” In all four postseason rounds, he made a tying or winning shot as regulation wound down.
Tyrese Haliburton: ‘Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart’
After Sunday’s loss, Tyrese Haliburton stood on crutches in the locker-room tunnel to embrace his teammates. “I think that just speaks volumes to who Tyrese Haliburton is,” said Pacers point guard TJ McConnell. “One of the greatest human beings I’ve come in contact with.”
Haliburton flew to New York City for surgery on Monday (June 23). That evening, the athlete posted a photo from his hospital bed, forming his hands into the shape of a heart.
“Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock,” Haliburton wrote on X. “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.”
The player admitted he struggles with the cliché about coming back stronger, especially now that his foot feels “like dead weight.” But he added, “At 25, I’ve already learned that God never gives us more than we can handle. I know I’ll come out on the other side of this a better man and a better player.”
Despite the major injury, Haliburton said he doesn’t regret playing with a strained calf. “I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers,” he wrote. “For the chance to do something special.”
The athlete pledged to fight to overcome this “hurdle” and thanked people for their support. Quoting the late Kobe Bryant, who also tore an Achilles, Haliburton said he will stop feeling sorry for himself and find the silver lining. “I don’t ‘have to’ go through this,” he wrote. “I get to go through this.”
Haliburton ended his post with the words of Proverbs 3:5-6, about trusting in and acknowledging the Lord, who will “make your paths straight.”
Tyrese Haliburton: ‘I’m Gonna Be Good’
Everyone’s “hearts dropped” when Tyrese Haliburton fell to the floor, according to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. He described an uplifting post-surgery conversation with his star player, who assured the coach, “I’m gonna be good.”
Jade Jones, Haliburton’s girlfriend, posted a photo of her consoling him after his injury. She called this year’s playoffs “a run we will remember for a lifetime.” Jones, who assured Haliburton that their support system will pull him through this setback, wrote, “We will be back, we’re not finished yet! God’s plan, God’s timing.”
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