The Pacers’ heartbeat is back. For Tyrese Haliburton, the road back to basketball has been anything but straightforward. An Achilles tear on the biggest stage of his career forced him to miss an entire season. A subsequent battle with shingles added another setback to his recovery.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Now, with the 2026-27 season approaching, the Indiana Pacers star has offered his clearest indication yet of where his health stands.
“I saw a report that was like, Sources tell me Tyrese is healthy,” Haliburton said, speaking with reporter Tony East at the Pacers’ practice facility ahead of a charity softball classic. He dismissed those reports and emphatically said, “I am the source. I am healthy right now.”
He said it with his usual playful glee.
Tyrese Haliburton explained that his recovery has progressed to the point where he is regularly playing pickup basketball.
“I feel great. I’m doing everything, playing pickup pretty regularly at this point. So I feel great. I will be ready for the season. The season’s today; I’ll be ready. So I think I’m back.”
That confidence carries significant weight considering how much Haliburton has had to overcome since his last NBA appearance.
The defining moment came during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the OKC Thunder. Tyrese Haliburton suffered a non-contact right Achilles tendon rupture in the first quarter.
It ended his night and effectively closed the door on what had been a remarkable postseason run for Indiana.
The injury required surgery and forced Haliburton to miss the entire 2025-26 season.
His recovery then encountered another complication when he developed shingles, adding another layer of physical strain during the rehabilitation process. A viral infection that almost left his eye closed.
On top of that, the high dosage led to a noticeable increase in his weight. On the other hand, Indiana felt his absence immediately.
The Pacers went from NBA Finals participants to a 19-63 record in 2025-26. It left them with one of the league’s worst seasons after reaching the championship series only months earlier.
While Pascal Siakam remained the offensive contributor, the team missed Tyrese Haliburton’s playmaking.
His return, therefore, represents more than simply adding another player to the roster.
The Pacers also spent the offseason reshaping the supporting cast around him. The team added Ivica Zubac in place of Myles Turner.
It also brought in Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. for additional versatility and depth.
Those additions could become particularly important as Haliburton adjusts to competitive basketball again.
An Achilles recovery doesn’t simply end when a player receives medical clearance; rebuilding explosiveness, confidence, and game rhythm takes time.
However, in his statement, Tyrese Haliburton said he’s ready even if the season starts today. So, the confidence is already there. And the star’s willingness to play pickup regularly suggests that process has already moved into a more advanced phase.
After 15 months, defined by injury, rehab and uncertainty, Haliburton finally has control over the story again.
His next test will come when the games count, and the Pacers will be watching closely to see whether the confidence he displayed off the court translates back onto the court.