Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) in the second half against the Houston Rockets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Tyrese Haliburton is nearing the finish line of his Achilles rehab as the Indiana Pacers star guard expressed an exciting message for fans ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.
Haliburton has gone through rehab over the past year, having torn his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The injury ended up sidelining him for the entire 2025-26 campaign, giving him a full year of recovery.
Haliburton has been making his rounds around the country, hosting events that allowed him to interact with fans. His latest activity was a softball charity event that had him collaborate with Indianapolis Colts star quarterback Daniel Jones in Indiana.
Team Haliburton ended up coasting to a 28-6 win over Team Jones, giving fans plenty of entertaining moments. The biggest one was from Haliburton himself, making a declaration about his return to the court.
“0 will be back this season, baby!!!” Haliburton said, per reporter Scott Agness.
“0 will be back this season, baby!!!” pic.twitter.com/Ak13Civdtg
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) August 25, 2026
What lies ahead for Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers this season
Tyrese Haliburton nearly led the Pacers to the championship in 2025. Barring any setbacks, he looks to pick up where he left off and finally lead the franchise to the mountaintop or at least lead them to more deep playoff runs.
The 2024-25 season was solid for Haliburton, earning All-NBA third team honors. He averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game throughout 73 appearances in the regular season. In the playoffs, he produced 17.3 points, 8.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per contest.
Indiana sorely missed Haliburton's presence on the hardwood last season. They finished with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference standings, ending the season at 19-63. They were above the Washington Wizards while being under the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls.
The Pacers’ regular season will get underway on the road against the Pelicans. That matchup commences on Oct. 21 as tip-off takes place at 8 p.m. ET.