Tyrese Haliburton’s father, John Haliburton, was in the crowd for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, watching his son lead the Indiana Pacers against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It was John's first road game since the first round after he stepped onto the court following the Pacers’ Game 5 win and confronted Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. That confrontation led to a ban from future games, which was eventually lifted before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks.
On Thursday, John got to witness a 15-point comeback, capped by Tyrese’s third game-winning shot of these NBA playoffs. The shot came with 0.3 seconds left in regulation and secured a 111-110 win for Indiana.
Following the game, a video surfaced on social media showing John waiting for his son in the tunnel. When Tyrese reached his father, the two shared a hug with many smiles.
Fans were quick to share their reactions to the moment between the Haliburtons.
"Love it so much proud pops," a fan said.
"You love to see it," another wrote.
"Look At That! Dad is Waiting," added another.
"Make ya daddy proud son," wrote a fan.
"He is so genuinely proud of him it's heart warming," one said.
"That's a proud moment! Athletes sharing triumphs with family hits different," a fan added.
Tyrese Haliburton in Game 1 of The NBA Finals.
Tyrese Haliburton
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Tyrese Haliburton is in his sixth NBA season after being drafted 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2020. He was traded to Indiana midway through the 2021-22 season in exchange for a package centered around forward Domantas Sabonis.
The 6-foot-5 guard appeared in 73 regular-season games for the Pacers this year, averaging 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game.