Tyrese Haliburton’s dad, John, has issued a public apology to Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo following their altercation.
“I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game,” an X account under John’s name wrote early Wednesday. “This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again.”
I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game. This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again.
— John Haliburton (@PapaHaliburton) April 30, 2025
The account hadn’t posted anything for the last three years since the apology.
When asked about the incident after the game, Giannis gave an extremely thoughtful answer.
“At the moment I thought he was a fan,” Antetokounmpo said. “But then I realized it was Tyrese’s dad. I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. [But] it was his dad. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, [and saying], ‘This is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This is what the F we do.’ I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.
“My dad … my dad’s not with us no more. My dad used to come into the family room and he was the most respectful person ever. When you come from nothing and you work your whole life to sell stuff in the street, your whole life you’ve been scared of the police deporting you and sending you back to your family and you have to protect your kids, you create this mentality of being humble your whole life. To not kind of disrespect anybody. To not make the attention high, the emotions high, so anybody can snitch on you or say something bad about you. So when he came here, I remember saying, ‘Dad, why are so you humble? Why do you go into the family room and don’t say a word, you sit in the back? Why are you like that?’ He said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ That’s how I grew up. That’s what I had around.
“So when I see other dads — which no disrespect, maybe if my son plays basketball, I might be in the court, I might be the one on the court and like 20 years later, you can play this interview and say Giannis, you’re contradicting yourself, but we’ll see in 20 years — but I’m telling you right now how I feel. Having somebody’s dad — and I’m happy for him and I’m happy for his son, that’s how he’s supposed to feel — but coming to me and disrespecting me and cursing at me is totally unacceptable.”
“I talked with him at the end and I think we’re in a good place,” he added.
Safe to say there is a solid rivalry building between the Bucks and Pacers.
READ MORE: Giannis Addresses Wild Confrontation With Tyrese Haliburton’s Dad