Tyrese Haliburton Provides Recovery Update On Achilles Injury

Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June, and the team has already ruled out the former first-rounder for the entire 2025-26 season.

Tyrese Haliburton Now Walking In Boot

Haliburton, 25, provided an update on his injury recovery Saturday while speaking to reporters at his Simple Truth Tyrese Haliburton Pro Camp in Westfield, Indiana.

“I’m walking now in my boot,” Haliburton said. “Getting closer to walking full time in my shoe. 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.”

In 73 games (all starts) last season, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per contest. The Iowa State product was selected to the All-NBA Third Team.

Without Haliburton in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the Pacers were outscored 56-43 in the second half as the Oklahoma City Thunder finished off a 103-91 victory.

The two-time All-Star scored nine points with three 3-pointers before leaving the floor. He averaged 14 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.6 rebounds during the seven-game series.

Haliburton Wants To Come Back At Full Strength

Despite various reports, Haliburton is in no rush to return to the court.

“I obviously want to be good tomorrow, but I know it takes time,” Haliburton added. “The team has already ruled me out for the year, so I’m in no rush. It’s just about getting 100 percent, not necessarily as fast as I can, but getting 100 percent is important. I don’t want to come back and be 85, 90 percent. I want to be able to come back at 100, so I’m just taking my time through that.”

There is optimism that Haliburton will come back to play at a high level.

“I have no doubt that he will be back better than ever,” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said last month. “The surgery went well. It was a little higher and he gets more blood to that [as he recovers]. He will not play next year though. We would not jeopardize that now. So don’t get any hopes up that he will play.”

In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, Haliburton recorded a historic triple-double — 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists, without committing a turnover — becoming the first player in playoff history to put up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists without a turnover since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78.

Haliburton also joined three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only other players to post at least 30 points, 10 boards, and 15 dimes in a playoff game.

According to Basketball Reference, Haliburton has career averages of 17.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in 333 games (294 starts) for the Sacramento Kings (2020-22) and Pacers.

The Pacers will open their training camp on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at the Ascension St. Vincent Center.