Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton provides update on Achilles injury
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June. Haliburton provided an update on his recover Saturday.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said he’s in “no rush” to recover from an Achilles tear he suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June.Haliburton said he’s leaned on teammates James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson as he recovers. Wiseman and Jackson have both teared their Achilles.“I obviously want to be good tomorrow but I know it takes time,” Haliburton said.
WESTFIELD — As a young boy approached Tyrese Haliburton for a picture, the Pacers guard noticed a band-aid on the child’s right knee.
”What’s wrong with your knee?” Haliburton asked the boy while sitting in his chair inside the Pacers Athletic Center during the Simple Truth Tyrese Haliburton Pro Camp.
A few moments later, after completing individual photos with the attendees, Haliburton cautiously walked his way to a nearby bench for a group picture with the kids. ”Everybody smile,” Haliburton told the kids.
Haliburton spent most of Saturday making sure all the kids at his pro camp were healthy and enjoying themselves, all while recovering from a gruesome injury of his own. Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June.
“I’m walking now in my boot,” Haliburton said. “Getting closer to walking full-time in my shoes. So, that’s exciting for me. It’s kind of like a new benchmark, a new achievement for me. Just being able to walk, it’s like the small wins right now. Just taking it a day at a time. I have good days, bad days.”
Haliburton said he has no timetable for his return. The Pacers announced in early July that Haliburton will be out for the 2025-2026 season. Haliburton said he is “falling in love with the grind” of enduring the same treatments every day.
”I obviously want to be good tomorrow but I know it takes time,” Haliburton said. “The team has already ruled me out for the year, so I’m in no rush. It’s just about getting 100%, not necessarily as fast as I can, but getting 100% is important. I don’t want to come back and be 85, 90%. I want to be able to come back at 100, so I’m just taking my time through that.”
Re-live the Pacers historic run to the NBA Finals
Haliburton said he appreciates having teammates like James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, who have both dealt with Achilles injuries in the past. Haliburton said the Pacers have their own “Achilles group” with him, Wiseman, and Jackson.
Haliburton added that he values being “able to complain” to Wiseman and Jackson about his recovery process, noting he gets “tired of complaining to trainers” since they are trying their best to help him.
Haliburton said talking to NBA stars Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and Dejounte Murray has also helped. Murray, Lillard and Tatum tore their Achilles tendons last season as well.
”In a lot of guys’ NBA careers, you’re going to go through something. Injuries are part of the game. Adversity is part of life,” Haliburton said. “So, it’s been good with me having the relationship I do with the older guys to talk with them. They’ve all gone through something.”
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