Tyrese Haliburton Hosts Indy Basketball Camp, Provides Injury Update

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after scoring during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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INDIANAPOLIS – Tyrese Haliburton was originally scheduled to host his annual basketball camp in Indianapolis on June 28 and 29. But a deep postseason run for the Indiana Pacers meant his season didn’t end until June 22, and he suffered a torn right Achilles on that day. Late June wasn’t going to work for Haliburton’s camp this year.

But it was going to happen at some point. Haliburton would make it so. The 25-year old superstar rescheduled, moving the event to late August. Roughly 300 campers popped in, and Haliburton greeted them all with a smile and a photo.

“Just to give back. A lot of these kids are coming up to me, ‘Oh, I was at this game in the playoffs, I was at that game.’ So I think just showing that I’m not just, for some kids, they might think I’m like this mythical being,” Haliburton said of why hosting his camp is so meaningful. “I know I thought that way about NBA players. So it’s cool to be here, be in front of the kids, get to hang out, spend some time with them. I love being around them, so it’s important for me.”

This is the fourth time Haliburton has hosted a camp in Indianapolis – he’s done one in every offseason since his trade to the Pacers. They continue to grow in size. This time, he needed help. Several Pacers coaches, executives, and other players (RayJ Dennis, T.J. McConnell, Kam Jones, Taelon Peter, and free agent James Johnson) were present at the Pacers Athletic Center to provide aid.

“It means the world to me. Obviously, the rookies don’t get much of a choice. I made them come,” Haliburton joked. “It means a lot that a lot of those guys are here, even some of our player interns from last year. Our group that we had last year was very tight-knit, and that’s just the type of organization that we are. So it means a lot that the guys are here.”

Haliburton doesn’t just provide lip service at his basketball camps. He makes time for everyone and greets them all with a smile. That’s the point, after all. Kids from grades 1-8 went station to station working on various fundamentals, often learning from a Pacers player.

What is the latest on Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton’s health?

The event marked Haliburton’s first time speaking in Indianapolis since the NBA Finals ended in June, so there were many questions about his injury status. Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard shared last month that Haliburton won’t play during the 2025-26 season.

He was on a knee scooter earlier this offseason but can now walk. Haliburton is still wearing a boot on his right foot, though he shed it recently for a photo and said it felt good to have two shoes (specifically PUMAs) on.

It has been just over two months since the injury and almost exactly two months since Haliburton’s Achilles surgery. “About eight weeks. I’m walking out of my boot, getting closer to walking full-time in my shoe. So that’s exciting for me,” Haliburton said of the current status of his recovery. “Every couple of weeks it’s kind of like a new benchmark, a new achievement for me. Just being able to walk, it’s like the small wins right now. Taking it a day at a time. I have good days and bad days, but yeah, things are going well. Every day is Groundhog Day. It feels like it’s the same treatment, the same stuff every day. But I’m falling in love with the grind of that and just trying to get as well as I can, as fast as I can.”

He’s recovering well and shared that there’s a few people he’s been leaning on – Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, who is also injured and frequently in the weight room at the same time as Haliburton, as well as Haliburton’s Pacers teammates James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson. The latter two both tore their Achilles last season and can provide Haliburton with advice during his own rehab.

The All-NBA guard has no specific timetable set for his recovery, and the Pacers received a Disabled Player Exception since he will miss the upcoming campaign. Haliburton said he’s in no rush and hopes to come back at 100% health – nothing less.

Wiseman and Jackson have had to hear Haliburton’s complaints about how challenging the rehab process is. They are the perfect duo to vent to since they know the struggle of Achilles recovery. “You get tired of complaining to the trainers… sometimes, being able to talk to those guys means a lot,” Haliburton said.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle explained earlier in the offseason that both Wiseman and Jackson are in good shape when it comes to their availability for training camp, which begins late next month. If they are able to be back on the floor for camp about 11 months after their Achilles injuries, it’s reasonable to assume that Haliburton will be ready for the 2026-27 season – though everyone heals at different speeds.

Haliburton appreciates the love he has gotten from Pacers fans since the injury. He guided a magic playoff run earlier this year and put the team in position to win their first-ever title, though they came up just short after he went down with his injury. On Saturday, he was able to show his appreciation for the support by spending time with campers, even while recovering.