Just days after Tyrese Haliburton sustained a devastating Achilles injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle opened up about an encouraging conversation with his star guard.
Carlisle reflected on his first phone call with Haliburton following Monday’s surgery to repair the torn Achilles. Despite the difficult circumstances, Carlisle said Haliburton’s tone was remarkably positive.
“He answered the phone on the first half ring,” Carlisle said on 107.5 The Fan. “And he said, ‘Hey coach, how you doing?’ He sounded totally upbeat. And I said, ‘I’m doing great, how are you doing?’ And he goes, ‘I’m gonna be good. I’m gonna be good.’”
The coach praised Haliburton’s mental toughness and leadership throughout the ordeal, calling the phone call “uplifting” and “a reflection of the type of person and teammate he is.”
“I can tell you that I feel very uplifted by the exchange with Tyrese on the phone, the message that he sent out, etc,” he said. “It’s a daunting thing to go through something like that if you’re the player, it’s a daunting thing if you’re a loyal fan base, if you’re a great fan of the game.”
Carlisle also shared a message Haliburton sent to the team group chat from his hospital bed later that night.
“He had sent out a message on our group chat of him in the hospital bed, [smiling],” Carlisle said. “He may have had a thumbs-up sign. And that was to all the guys on our roster, which included our bench coaches. And so that was a very uplifting moment for me.”
There’s no official timetable for Haliburton’s return, though it’s likely he will miss the entire 2025–26 season.
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