A day after undergoing surgery for a torn Achilles tendon, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton took to social media to express the raw emotion behind his injury and summed it all up with one word: “shock.”
Haliburton went down early in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a heartbreaking moment not just for the Pacers, who lost the game 103–91, but for fans who had followed Haliburton’s inspiring postseason run.
What began as a promising night with three made 3-pointers ended with Haliburton being helped off the court and later ruled out with a torn Achilles.
In a deeply personal message posted hours after the injury was confirmed, Haliburton shared how difficult the last 24 hours had been — physically, emotionally and mentally.
“Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock,” he wrote. “Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable.”
Despite the crushing outcome, Haliburton made it clear that he has no regrets. He played through a calf injury to be part of Game 7 and said he would do it all over again.
“I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense,” he said.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after suffering an injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered an injury during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center.
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
During this year’s playoffs, Haliburton averaged 17.3 points and 8.6 assists per game and was often the engine behind Indiana’s offense. Still, Haliburton isn’t giving up. In the same message, he promised to fight through the recovery and return better, on his terms.
“I don’t ‘have to’ go through this, I get to go through this,” he said, quoting a Bible verse that has helped him stay grounded. “I’m grateful for the road that lies ahead. Watch how I come back from this.”
His longtime girlfriend, Jade Jones, shared her own words of encouragement, calling him “selfless, brave, and strong.”
While the road ahead is long, the word Haliburton chose — shock — aptly encompasses everything about the moment. Not just the injury, but the weight of watching a dream get cut short in real time.