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The Indiana Pacers’ run to the NBA Finals last year came to a screeching halt when the team lost Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season while watching Indiana win just 19 games and fall to 14th place in the Eastern Conference. But as he prepares to play in 2026-27, Haliburton admitted it’s not the physical injury he’s worried about suffering next year.
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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots on the court before an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)
It’s an illness he’s been battling.
He said Monday that he has been dealing with shingles, which has caused him to gain weight, lose part of his right eyebrow and forced him to wear glasses to avoid scratching his swollen eye.
“First of all, I would tell anyone over 50 to get vaccinated,” Haliburton said. “It’s been miserable. I have good days and bad days, but for the most part they have been bad days.
“I’ve been taking crazy amounts of medication to try to get rid of it. It hasn’t worked. It hasn’t been fun and I hope it goes away soon. It’s really hard to tell with nerve pain, but I’ve been dealing with nerve pain for two months and in the world of nerve pain, that’s not a lot of time. Hopefully it will go away soon.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after suffering an injury during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on June 22, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Image Images)
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 1 in 3 Americans will get shingles. The disease, if severe enough, can cause vision loss and nerve pain.
Haliburton said he was on a similar recovery timeline to Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who also suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the playoffs last year. Tatum returned to the Celtics in March and has provided the boost Boston needed to be seen as a championship contender.
Haliburton said he is “not worried” about getting back into shape once he stops taking the medication.
“I’m completely out of shape, like I’ve never been out of shape before,” Haliburton said. “I changed my medication several times. I had a Botox injection that I thought would help, but it didn’t really help. I’ve done everything, it just hasn’t worked yet. But I’m sure it will go away soon.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton plays in the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on March 29, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Image Images)
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The Pacers will likely have one of the best lottery picks in the draft. Adding another young superstar to the Haliburton-led team would be a blessing in disguise for Indiana as they look to get back to the top of the conference next season.
