Milwaukee Bucks fans, time to try to muster up some Midwest Nice.
Wisconsin native, Indiana Pacers star — and infamous Bucks villain — Tyrese Haliburton is engaged to his college sweetheart, Jade Jones.
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The proposal went down at Iowa State University, where Haliburton — an Oshkosh North standout — played college ball and Jones was a cheerleader. Talk about school spirit: The two even have a mini goldendoodle named after the city their alma mater is located in, Ames.
In a joint Instagram post July 28, Haliburton and his now-fiancée shared a carousel of photos from the engagement and a video clip from the magical moment, backed by “Can I Have This Dance” from “High School Musical 3.”
The two-time All-NBA point guard popped the question at halfcourt of Hilton Coliseum in front of giant lit-up marquee letters, spelling out “will you marry me,” that glowed in the darkness of the stadium.
A large red balloon arch, candles, red roses and petals set the scene — the perfect mix of romance and nostalgia.
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“The place where our story started, and where our next chapter begins❤️💍” Haliburton captioned the post.
“Future Mrs. What the Hali 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭” Jones commented.
Jones, absolutely radiant, sported an adorable white fit-and-flair mini bubble dress. And, we can’t not give a shoutout to her white manicured nails featuring tiny red polka dots — too fitting. And, that rock? Speechless.
After the proposal, the couple also posed for pics in front of the Campanile at their former school.
As a freshman in the 2018-19 season, Haliburton set Iowa State’s single-game assists record (17) and started nearly every game, but he really took off as a sophomore, when he became second-team All-Big 12 and rose to a level where he was able to forgo his final two years of eligibility and declare for the NBA Draft.
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In between his two seasons with the Cyclones, he played for the Team USA U19 World Cup team that won a gold medal. He led his team in assists in every game he played.
Haliburton was selected with the 12th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. After bring traded to the Pacers in February 2022, Haliburton signed a five-year max contract worth up to $260 million with Indiana in summer 2023.
Haliburton, who’s recovering from an Achilles tendon tear — the culmination of a series of lower right leg issues during the NBA Finals — will miss all of the 2025-26 season. He’s still in a walking boot, and the scooter he’s been getting around on can be seen in some of the proposal shots.
He’s wreaked havoc on the Bucks, including hitting a game-winner to eliminate Milwaukee in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference playoffs this year. It marked the Bucks’ third consecutive first-round exit — the second in a row by the Pacers.
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It was during that emotional series, you may remember, that Haliburton’s father, John Haliburton, got in a confrontation with Bucks god Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers star and Oshkosh native, gets engaged