Tyrese Haliburton has always been a student of the game. But lately, his biggest lessons haven’t come from the hardwood, but from the recovery room. The Indiana Pacers guard, who tore his right Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, is learning patience and perspective. Surprisingly, one of his teachers is Jayson Tatum.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Haliburton opened up about how the Boston Celtics forward has become a lifeline through his rehab journey. “Me and Jayson talk pretty often,” Haliburton said. “Probably once every week, once every couple weeks. He’s kind of helped me stay upbeat, especially early. He was a great person for me to talk to and kind of lean on.”

Tatum, who suffered a similar Achilles injury earlier in the year, is roughly six weeks ahead in his recovery, a small gap that makes a big difference when you’re staring at the same uphill climb. “Everything he’s doing, I have to look forward to,” Haliburton said. “It’s been nice to be able to speak with him and kind of show him, like he’s been kind of showing me what he’s been doing… cheering each other on from afar.”

The two formed a bond long before the injuries. Their connection traces back to Team USA’s gold medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they shared training sessions and mutual admiration. Now, that relationship has strengthened into a shared recovery roadmap, one message at a time, so to speak.

For Haliburton, who averaged 17.3 points and 8.6 assists per game last postseason before the injury, this process is as mental as it is physical. “He’s [Tatum] been showing me what he’s been doing,” Haliburton explained. “I tell him what I’m doing. It’s kind of like looking out for each other.” This also tells us that the Pacers guard, while pushing to return, also documents the comeback.

He revealed that his longtime videographer, Zachery Remy, has been filming everything, from surgery to rehab milestones. “We have a ton of stuff that we will show eventually,” Haliburton said. “We’re just finding when that right time is.” But good news for the Pacers loyalists, that timeline looks very promising.

“I’m not far off,” Haliburton teased. “I’m jumping, starting to run, I’m working out, I’m doing a little bit of everything.” And well, his recovery mirrors the efficiency of his play style, being detailed and confident. The Pacers’ offense often hums with his momentum and eagerly waits for that rhythm to return.

But as it turns out, Tatum is not the only one in Haliburton’s Achilles support circle. 

How Tyrese Haliburton and other NBA stars turned injury into a group chat

There’s an entire group chat of NBA stars, including Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Dejounte Murray, who’ve all dealt with Achilles-related injuries. “Everybody is in different phases,” Haliburton explained in an interview with ForTheWin, following his appearance on Netflix’s Starting 5.

“Some guys are ahead. I’m obviously the farthest behind. So we’re checking in on each other. It’s almost like Facebook sometimes, where moms will share pictures of their kids doing something for the first time.” That humor is essentially what keeps Haliburton grounded. 

“Dejounte Murray and Jayson Tatum,” Haliburton said. “I text Jayson little questions like, ‘Yo, how long do I have to sleep with this boot on, bro? When did you get this off? How are you feeling running for the first time?”

It’s a look into a rare NBA subculture as superstars swap recovery hacks and encouragement instead of trash talk. And then there’s Kevin Durant, who Haliburton jokingly dubbed the godfather of Achilles recoveries.

“KD says he is the Achilles guy,” Haliburton said. “Now we’re going to be the Achilles guys, where guys are hitting us up about it.” There’s both pride and irony in that statement.

Durant’s blueprint helped normalize an injury once considered career-ending. For Haliburton, though, the most challenging part wasn’t doubt, but the loss. “I grieved Game 7,” he said.

“I grieve not winning a championship. Everybody’s grief is a little different. It’s important to talk about it. It takes a village to get through anything.”

That vulnerability makes his comeback story so uniquely his own. Unlike other stars, Haliburton doesn’t hide behind bravado. That’s why his peers rally around him. It’s also why Indiana believes.

Though Haliburton’s absence has forced Indiana to recalibrate, his $244.6 million max extension, signed in 2023, symbolized the franchise’s complete faith in his leadership and future. Losing him during a championship push was gutting, but his soundness anchors the team.

In the meantime, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and even Taelon Peter have taken on more responsibility, crediting Haliburton’s constant presence in team meetings and film sessions, even while sidelined.

During this time, Hali has also supported long-time friend Caitlin Clark, who suffered an injury of her own, sidelining her for WNBA games. 

So when he does return, and he will, the story won’t just be about recovery. It’ll be about connection and a guard who turned one of basketball’s hardest setbacks into a shared blueprint for how to rise again.

And that is the real comeback. Not just playing again, but leading the way for everyone else who will.