Stephen A. Smith doesn’t throw around compliments like confetti. So when the ESPN firestarter admitted he once begged the Knicks to draft Tyrese Haliburton, you knew it was real. This wasn’t one of those “he’s nice, but not that nice” takes. This came from a man who’s made a career of roasting players on national television.

“I know y’all have seen me on many occasions talking about Tyrese Haliburton and how he’s no superstar,” Stephen A. said. “But it doesn’t mean that he didn’t have the impact of a superstar.” And that’s facts! For all the talk about him not being flashy enough for TV, Tyrese Haliburton has always had substance—more Stockton than Kyrie, but just as effective when it counts.

After Game 6 in Indy, Stephen A. pulled Haliburton’s dad aside. “I was clamoring for the Knicks to draft your son,” he told him. What followed was pure heartbreak. Haliburton Sr. broke down crying after Game 7, and honestly? Who wouldn’t?

With less than five minutes left in the first quarter of Game 7, Tyrese Haliburton was hotter than Reggie Miller in the Garden. He dropped three threes in seven minutes and looked ready to carve the Thunder’s halfcourt defense like Thanksgiving turkey. But then—pop. No contact. No collision. Just a step, a slip, and silence.

The moment he collapsed, you could feel the air get sucked out of Indiana. Hoodie over his head, carried off like a fallen general. Shades of Kobe in 2013. KD in 2019. Achilles injuries don’t care if you’re a 2-time All-Star or a future Hall of Famer. They take. And take it hard.

Stephen A. didn’t hide his disappointment. “If Tyrese Haliburton had kept rolling like that, I’m here to tell y’all—OKC was in trouble,” he declared. “Because we all know that halfcourt offense of theirs? It can turn into four guys standing around waiting on Shai to pull a miracle.”

Let’s not forget: before the injury, Haliburton had OKC dancing. His movement, his passing, his pull-up game—he had the Thunder rotating more than a 2003 Detroit Pistons defense. But once he was out, the Pacers’ offense looked like a pickup game where no one wanted to bring the ball up.

Reggie Miller, the OG Voice of Pacer pain

Even Reggie Miller couldn’t keep the emotions in check. “I felt the gut punch to Pacer Nation,” he wrote, paying tribute to Tyrese Haliburton like he was family. And let’s be honest—after the playoffs Haliburton had? He is Indiana family now. And this wasn’t just an injury. It was a cultural shockwave. Indiana hadn’t been this close to a title since Reggie was dropping bombs on Spike Lee’s Knicks. And now, with their franchise player sidelined, the party got canceled before they could even cut the confetti.

Let’s get this straight—Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles in Game 7. Surgery happened the next day in New York, and the Pacers have already confirmed he’s likely missing the entire 2025–26 season. That’s a cruel blow not just to Indiana, but to the whole Eastern Conference picture.

He’s not alone on the injury list either. Jayson Tatum? Out. Damian Lillard? Also cooked. That’s three All-Star guards shelved before the first tip-off of next season. Suddenly, the conversation about the NBA’s marathon 82-game season isn’t just theoretical—it’s real. Adam Silver insists there’s “no data” proving fewer games mean fewer injuries, but fans, coaches, and now superstars are starting to question that narrative.

For those who forgot: Tyrese Haliburton was drafted 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings. TWELFTH. The Kings picked him, then decided they’d rather build around De’Aaron Fox and shipped Haliburton to Indiana in 2022. That trade has aged like milk—for Sacramento, anyway.

Since landing in Indy, Haliburton turned into a 20-and-10 machine, became an All-Star starter, led the NBA in assists, and quite literally transformed the Pacers into Finals contenders. He’s the type of player who doesn’t dominate with flash—he dominates with feel. The anti-TikTok star. The guy who lets his game speak louder than any mixtape.

Stephen A. Smith, Reggie Miller, the entire state of Indiana—they all know what they just lost. Tyrese Haliburton is more than just a stat line. He’s the soul of this Pacers team. And while surgery and rehab will take him off the court, don’t expect him to disappear. The road ahead is tough, but if there’s one thing this injury can’t take from Tyrese Haliburton, it’s his belief. And with a team that still includes Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, and Myles Turner, Indiana isn’t done yet. Just delayed.

And come 2026? Watch out.