Tyrese Haliburton on his recovery from Achilles injury - and why he hates dribbling drills

The Indiana Pacers point guard spoke with Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor about his rehab from last season’s injury – and what he’s been working on the most during recovery. Check out the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Tyrese joined Yahoo Sports of Netflix’s ‘Starting 5’ series – Season 2 is available now on all streaming devices.

Video Transcript

What are you working on while you recover?

Like, what are the skills that you can improve on during your recovery?

Well, I think, obviously, obviously getting my body right, of course.

Uh, I just started touching a basketball not too long ago.

I was shooting free throws.

Now I’m getting to the point where I’m jogging a little bit.

I’m starting to jump, uh, more like stationary shooting and like jumping on my shot like normal, but it’s just like not a ton of movement, you know.

You don’t jump much anyway.

Yeah, exactly, that’s what I said.

I’m like you were like the trainer’s like, are you, how do you feel like when you’re shooting?

I’m like, I think I feel normal because I don’t really, it’s like I’m jumping time.

Anyway, uh, but I’ve been joking with our trainers like I feel like I’m in a pre-draft mode almost like, uh, like a pre-draft, I felt like that’s when I was shooting the ball the best was in my pre-draft.

I feel like I’m like started to feel that way like I’m really shooting the ball well.

I think like form, like being able to finish your wrist consistently, like little things like seeing what I can.

I’m trying to do like more stationary passing and stuff with my left hand and really trying to get better at, you know, making reads up with my left and ball.

I can do a little bit of ball handling which I hate ball handling drills.

I know that’s weird to say as a point guard, but I’ve never liked them my whole life, so that’s I have to learn it.

I don’t know.

I just, I’m not, I don’t have the greatest handle.

So like I just feel like when I was growing up, I would just kind of feel like dumb doing it, especially when I got around like guys a really good handle.

I’m like, not that I’m like insecure about my handle by any by any means, but like I’m around them and I’m kind of like.

I don’t like this.

Can we just play 5 on 5 cause then I can like, then I, I look better, you know.

So just trying, I think there’s many different areas where I can get better and as time goes on, I can do a little bit more.

I feel like I’ll be able to add a lot.

Tyrese Halliburton joined my podcast on behalf of season 2 of Starting 5 on Netflix, which is out right now.

Here’s a sneak peek.

If we were to lose a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, I would think about that game.

Forever.

We know James Harden.

We know that Kevin Durant would do everything to move, bro.

We’re witnessing a change of the guards.

You’re gonna hit them with this if they choke a lead off.

You gotta watch your back now.

It’s just people preying on my downfall to do all this and then like fall short.

That would be insane to me.

I’d sacrifice pretty much anything to win a championship.

He looks hurt the worst, at least.

It feels like it was all right there.

Tyrese Haliburton on his recovery from Achilles injury – and why he hates dribbling drills

Tags: