On Friday, Tyrese Haliburton addressed the controversy surrounding his father for the “final time.”
The Indiana Pacers secured a 119-118 overtime victory in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, eliminating them from the playoffs. This marked the third consecutive year the Bucks were eliminated in the first round, and the second time in a row by the Pacers.
After the game, Tyrese’s father, John Haliburton, was seen in a heated exchange with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. The incident prompted Antetokounmpo to criticize John Haliburton for his “unacceptable” behavior. As a result, both the Pacers and the NBA decided to ban John Haliburton from attending any remaining Pacers playoff games for the 2025 postseason.
When asked about his father’s punishment on Friday, Tyrese stood by him but made it clear he wouldn’t challenge the decision made by the team and the league.
“This is the last time I’ll address this at all,” said the two-time All-Star. “I understand the decision made by our organization and the league. I’ve said before that my father was in the wrong, but at the end of the day, he’s my dad. I’m not going to criticize him. I love him dearly. He’ll be fine watching from home.”
Tyrese played a pivotal role in the Pacers’ win, scoring a team-high 26 points, including a game-winning layup with 1.1 seconds remaining that sent Indiana to the second round.
