Tyrese Haliburton's Father Set to Attend Playoff Game Following Ban
John Haliburton, father of Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, is cleared to attend the team's upcoming playoff game against the New York Knicks after a prior ban. This decision comes as the Pacers lead the Eastern Conference Finals 2-1.
According to ESPN, John will be able to watch Game 4 from a suite, although he will refrain from attending any road games. His absence from previous games stemmed from a confrontation with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo last month.
The altercation occurred at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, where John was involved in a heated exchange that required intervention from Bucks players and arena security. Following this incident, a spokesperson for the Pacers announced that John would not be allowed at any games for the foreseeable future.
In response to the situation, John issued an apology via X, expressing regret for his actions. “I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game,” he wrote. “This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again.”
Giannis addressed the incident during a postgame interview, emphasizing the importance of humility in victory. “I believe in being humble in victory,” he stated. “A lot of people out there that are like, ‘No, when you win the game, you talk s*** and it’s a green light for you to be disrespectful toward somebody else.’ I disagree.”
He recounted his initial confusion, thinking John was just another fan before realizing his identity. “Having a fan — which at the moment I thought it was a fan, but then I realized it was Tyrese’s dad... I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful,” Giannis remarked.
Despite the tension, Giannis noted that he and John have since spoken and are “in a good place.” Tyrese Haliburton also weighed in on the matter, stating he did not condone his father's actions. “Basketball is basketball and let’s keep it on the court,” Tyrese said. “I think he just got excited... but the emotions of the game got excited there.”
He added that he would prefer his father to celebrate from a distance, acknowledging that they had a conversation about the incident. “I don’t think my pops was in the right at all there,” Tyrese concluded.
