Shortly after the Indiana Pacers announced that star guard Tyrese Haliburton had indeed torn his Achilles tendon during the team`s crucial Game 7 NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Haliburton took to social media platforms to share his deep emotions following such a disheartening turn of events.
Haliburton underwent surgical repair on Monday, just one day after the Pacers were defeated by the Thunder in Oklahoma City. Despite already battling a significant calf injury leading up to the game, Haliburton had managed to get off to a strong start, hitting three successful 3-pointers before unfortunately going down with the injury late in the first quarter.
A day later, Haliburton revealed he was still grappling with shock and a profound sense of frustration. However, notably, he stated he felt no regret about his decision to play in the decisive game.
In his message, Haliburton wrote, “I`ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.”
He emphasized that even with the significant calf strain he was managing, he would choose to play Game 7 “again and again” and stood by his decision without regret. He also included an apology to the Indiana Pacers fans for the injury itself and for not being able to help secure a championship title, drawing a parallel and quoting the late Kobe Bryant, another legendary player who famously suffered a torn Achilles during his career.
Ultimately, Haliburton`s words clearly convey the sheer magnitude of the injury`s impact on everyone involved, a sentiment that was also echoed by his teammate Obi Toppin in post-game interviews.
The severe injury is expected to keep Haliburton sidelined for the entire 2025-26 NBA season, an absence that will undoubtedly have significant repercussions throughout the league.
Jasper Hawthorne