Haliburton Reassures Pacers Fans: "I'm Ready"

The Indiana Pacers have offered fans a reassuring health update. As reported by Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star, Tyrese Haliburton, who tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and has been sidelined ever since, gave an encouraging update on his condition at a press event for a Pacers Foundation charity softball game. Haliburton said: "I can tell you this: I'm healthy right now. I feel great. I'm doing everything. At this point I'm playing pickup basketball regularly. I'll be ready for the season. If the season started today, I'd be ready."

According to the report, Haliburton also acknowledged that feeling healthy isn't the same as being ready for an actual NBA game, and he expects the first few minutes back to be challenging. He added: "Before that first media timeout, that pace is just different. There's no way to prepare for it. But I know I'll go into the season feeling good."

Haliburton, who will have been out for nearly 16 months and who carried the Pacers to a surprise Finals run in 2025 while averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game in the playoffs, drew huge excitement last July when footage emerged of him dunking between his legs at a training session. The Pacers, who posted a 19-63 record without Haliburton last season — the second-worst mark in the Eastern Conference — are looking ahead to the new season with optimism following this reassuring update, ahead of the full schedule release on Thursday.