NBA: Tyrese Haliburton overcomes his worst nightmare and returns 15 months later

In an exciting return to the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton, star of the Indiana Pacers, was back on the court after enduring an ordeal due to a serious injury he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals, which had kept him sidelined for more than 15 months.

In the preseason game between the Pacers and the Minnesota Timberwolves (which ended in a 123-112 victory for the Indianapolis franchise), Haliburton felt like a professional basketball player again.

"It's the first game, but I need to slow down a bit. There was a lot of adrenaline. I was excited to be on the court, thrilled, but I just need to calm down a little. There's a lot of room for improvement, both for me and for the team, but I'm really excited to be back on the court," said Haliburton after the game against the Timberwolves.

The Pacers' point guard started the game. In the 16 minutes he played, he scored seven points and dished out six assists.

On June 23, 2025, Haliburton's career suffered a major setback during the crucial Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers star attempted a quick burst of speed when he felt a sudden snap in his right leg that caused him to collapse immediately, clearly in pain. Hours later, medical tests confirmed the worst possible diagnosis: a complete rupture of the Achilles tendon.

A few days later, Haliburton underwent surgery, which was successful. However, Kevin Pritchard, president of the Pacers, confirmed that the player would miss the entire 2025–2026 season and would focus on his recovery to return in the best possible condition.

That long journey—spanning 472 days—came to an end on October 7, when Haliburton stepped onto the court again for an official preseason game.