Tyrese Haliburton’s devastating Achilles tear leaves Pacers star in shock
Tyrese Haliburton couldn’t believe it. One moment he was battling in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the next he was smacking the floor in pain as medical staff rushed to his side.
It was only the first quarter.
The All-NBA guard had to be helped off the court while his Indiana Pacers went on to lose the championship to the Thunder that Sunday. The real gut punch came the next day.
“An MRI taken on Monday confirmed that Haliburton tore his right achilles tendon,” the Pacers announced in a statement last week. “Surgery is scheduled later today with Dr Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.”
For the 25-year-old superstar, the timing couldn’t be worse.
Haliburton had been playing through injuries during the Finals, but this was different. This was season-ending. Career-altering.
“I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers,” Hali posted on social media. “For the chance to do something special.”
The recovery timeline? Brutal. Most players need 8 to 10 months to return from a torn Achilles. That means we might not see Haliburton back on the court until well into 2026.
“Don’t know how to explain it other than shock,” Haliburton wrote. “Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable.”
His raw social media posts reveal just how hard this has hit him mentally.
“I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense,” he shared after surgery. “Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to ‘come back stronger’.”
The frustration in his words is palpable.
“What a cliche lol, this shit sucks. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind,” he continued. “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.”
For Pacers fans, the wait begins. For Haliburton, the long road to recovery has just started.
