Tyrese Haliburton has reached a new milestone in his rehab from a ruptured Achilles. On Wednesday evening, he announced on X that he played 5-on-5 basketball for the first time since suffering his injury in Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals.
What happened?
The injury has kept him out of the entire 2025-26 season. Throughout his recovery, Haliburton has filled his time with non-basketball hobbies like working on his sneaker line with Puma.
He has also been a mainstay at Pacers games, encouraging his teammates from the bench. In late February, coach Rick Carlisle told reporters Haliburton was diagnosed with shingles and would be away from the team for a few weeks.
Why it matters for Tyrese Haliburton
He returned to the bench on March 25. Wednesday's announcement marks major progress toward Haliburton's return, a light at the end of a forgettable season's tunnel for the Pacers.
The Pacers lost a franchise-record 16 straight games, a streak that lasted from the All-Star break in mid-February to March 25, when they finally won their 16th win of the season, a 128-126 win over the Orlando Magic.
What comes next?
The Pacers are poised for their lowest win percentage ever, with a record of 18-61. They have sorely missed their two-time All-NBA selection, Tyrese Haliburton, and are hoping to find luck in the NBA's draft lottery.
If their first-round pick falls in the top four, or No. 10 or lower, they'll keep it. If it falls between Nos. 5-9, it will go to the LA Clippers as part of the February trade that sent Bennedict Mathurin to LA for Ivica Zubac.
The Pacers' 36 double-digit losses this season are more than the previous two seasons combined, a span that saw them tie for the NBA's eighth-best record. Tyrese Haliburton's progress is a positive sign for Pacers fans to latch onto, as the season nears its end.