Tyrese Haliburton likely to miss the entire 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery for a torn Achilles tendon

The Indiana Pacers did not have the best of times on Monday, June 23, as they not only lost Game 7 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder — missing out on the league championship — but also likely lost their most important player to injury for the foreseeable future.

Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton sustained a torn right Achilles tendon in Game 7, with Indiana management confirming that the 25-year-old is likely to miss the entire 2025–26 NBA season. Haliburton, who had been playing through a calf strain in the Finals, underwent surgery in the early hours of Tuesday, June 24 (Philippine Standard Time).

The superstar took to social networking platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration over the injury while also thanking fans around the world for their love and support.

Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.

Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the… pic.twitter.com/UyY0iFEp6Z

— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 24, 2025

Haliburton sustained the Achilles injury while attempting to drive to the basket with 4:55 remaining in the opening quarter. He crumpled to the floor without any contact, was escorted to the locker room with his face wrapped in towels, and did not return to the game.

There’s no doubt that Haliburton has been the breakout star of the playoffs, leading the Pacers to the NBA Finals — at times almost single-handedly. He averaged 14.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game during the Finals, and 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game in 73 regular-season appearances. He holds career averages of 17.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game across 333 games for both the Sacramento Kings and the Pacers.

Selected 12th overall by the Kings in the 2020 NBA Draft, Haliburton spent two seasons in Sacramento before being traded — along with Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson — to Indiana in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and a 2023 second-round pick.

Haliburton made the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2021, led the league in assists in 2024, and has earned two NBA All-Star selections so far in his career.

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