Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right follow-up tendon in the NBA final in June, and the team has ruled out the first-round game of the entire 2025-26 season.
Tyrese Haliburton now walks into the boots
Haliburton, 25, provided an update when speaking to reporters on Saturday at Tyrese Haliburton Pro Camp in his Simple Truth at Tyrese Haliburton Pro Camp.
“I’m walking in my boots now,” Halliburton said. “Going closer and closer to my shoes.
In 73 games last season, Halliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Iowa’s products were selected as the third team in the entire NBA.
In Game 7 of the NBA Finals, there was no Halliburton, and the Pacers beat 56-43 in the second half with the Oklahoma City Thunder winning 103-91.
The two-time All-Stars scored nine points with three 3-pointers before leaving the floor. In the seven-game series, he averaged 14 points, 5.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Halliburton wants to do his best
Despite all the reports, Halliburton was eager to return to court.
“I obviously want to do it tomorrow, but I know it takes time,” Halliburton added. “The team has ruled out a year of exclusion, so I didn’t hesitate. It’s just 100%, not necessarily as fast as possible, but it’s important to get 100%. I don’t want to come back, reach 85%, 90%. I want to be able to come back for 100, so I just took the time.”
Optimistically, Halliburton will re-play the game at a high level.
“I have no doubt he will be better than ever,” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said last month. “The surgery went well. A little bit higher, and he got more blood for it.” [as he recovers]. However, he won’t play next year. We won’t harm this now. So don’t hope he can play. ”
In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton recorded a historic triple-double–32 points, 12 rebounds and 15 assists without making a turnover–becoming the first in playoff history to score at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists in the first turnover since 1977-78.
Halliburton also joined three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, the only player to post at least 30 points, 10 boards and 15 corners in the playoff game.
According to basketball reference, Halliburton’s career average score was 17.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists, with the Sacramento Kings (2020-22) and the Pacers’ career average score of 333 games (294 games).
The Pacers will open a training camp at St. Vincent Center on Tuesday, October 1.
