Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton may be sidelined for the year, but his voice remains central in NBA conversations.
The All-Star, who tore his ACL in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, recently appeared on the Impaulsive podcast, where he discussed a controversial nickname born on social media and speculation about how the league views small-market success stories like Indiana.
Haliburton‘s breakout postseason run drew admiration across the league, but it also produced a label that he refuses to embrace.
Fans coined the term “Haliban” to describe how he “terrorized” defenses with his playmaking and late-game heroics. For Haliburton, though, the association with a violent extremist group is troubling.
“It’s unfortunate,” Haliburton said. “Obviously, the Taliban is a terrible group of people, and it’s unfortunate that on social media it’s become the thing. Obviously, I could never publicly acknowledge it or respond. People would come on my Twitch chat and spam that.”
Embracing setbacks and staying connected
Haliburton has built a reputation as one of the league’s most approachable stars. Even as he rehabs from surgery, he’s remained visible through fan engagement, livestreams, and public appearances.
Off the court, life has been eventful: he got engaged to his longtime girlfriend this summer and even surprised fans with a cameo at WWE SummerSlam.
Those moments have softened the blow of missing the entire 2025/26 season, a decision the Pacers made to ensure his long-term health.
For a franchise that reached its first Finals since 2000, the absence of its floor general is daunting. Yet Haliburton has leaned into positivity, calling his rehab “a process of small wins” and crediting his teammates for keeping the momentum alive.
Dismissing NBA conspiracy chatter
The Pacers‘ Finals run against the Oklahoma City Thunder was a dream for basketball purists, though it sparked chatter that the NBA might have influenced the bracket for television drama. Haliburton dismissed those rumors with a laugh.
“I mean, I think that if the league wanted to rig it, they would’ve probably rigged it for the Knicks to be successful,” Haliburton said.
“So I think it’s just kind of good luck, just happenstance, that we happened to be there. Well, the problem is, I play for the Indiana Pacers. So, if the NBA was going to rig the league, the last two teams they’d probably rig it for would be the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.”
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