“Calf’s good. I’m ready to go,” confidently remarked Tyrese Haliburton days before the NBA Finals, denying any potential injury scare after the Indiana Pacers star had sustained right calf tightness during the 1st quarter of Game 5. Deep down, the point guard needed rest. Yet, he remained undeterred, insisting on taking a break once he was done leading his team to glory. The result? Not only was Haliburton forced off the court due to another Achilles injury, but his side even lost the finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving even someone like Megan Rapinoe “sick.“

The ex-USWNT forward also joined the basketball world in sympathizing with the 25-year-old’s Achilles injury, which he sustained around the first quarter after having collapsed to the floor without any contact while driving to the basket. In devastation, Megan Rapinoe took to Instagram stories to share a pitch-black story with just a single line caption that read, “🙏🙏🙏🙏I’M SICK FOR TYRESE❤”

Clearly, the 2019 Ballon d’Or Feminin winner is heartbroken with Haliburton’s injury, more than Indiana’s 103-91 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 7. Not to mention the defeat handed the Thunder their first championship since relocating from Seattle and rebranding from the SuperSonics in 2008, marking the franchise’s second title overall. But more than Pinoe, we bet it Tyrese who would be frustrated, as he was witnessed slapping the court hard in tears and anger after falling down.

Timeout was called as medics quickly ran for support, with the entire Pacers roster gathered around him in concern, leaving fans heartbroken. In the end, the two-time NBA All-Star needed help to be taken off the court, as the conclusion of the game even saw him using crutches to stand outside the Pacers’ locker room.

He was seen consoling his teammates after the unfortunate loss, before the rest of the team expressed their disbelief over the incident. “All of our hearts dropped,” remarked Pacers coach Rick Carlisle as per ESPN. “We all are devastated for him,” added Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, before forward Obi Toppin added, “I was thinking about it the whole game.”

Notably, many were skeptical of Haliburton logging heavy minutes despite his injury. He had been managing his right calf strain throughout the series, undergoing continuous treatment just to stay on the court. The knock eventually flared up again in Game 5 while maneuvering past Chet Holmgren. Still, even after having the coach’s trust behind him, it turned out to be quite an expensive gamble for both the player and the Pacers.

Had things been favorable for him tonight then boy did he actually have a chance to lead his side to victory? At least his numbers say so, draining three massive threes early in the quarter. Within seven minutes, he racked up 9 points on 3-of-5 shooting (3-of-4 from beyond the arc), keeping Indiana toe-to-toe with OKC in a wild start to the game.

Yet, fate had other plans for Tyrese Haliburton, as he ended up experiencing the worst in this crucial game. It’s no surprise that passionate basketball fans—and even Megan Rapinoe, in this case—are heartbroken by what unfolded today. That said, this isn’t the only thing in basketball that stirs deep emotions in the two-time World Cup winner.

Megan Rapinoe had a bittersweet basketball experience!

While the former OL Lyonnes forward made her feelings pretty clear about Sunday night’s incident featuring Tyrese Haliburton, Megan Rapinoe rather enjoyed a heartwarming moment featuring Indiana Fever guard Sydney Colson, who was honored with a career highlight reel put together by her former team, the Las Vegas Aces, just before the WNBA game. Surrounded by her current teammates, the 35-year-old grew emotional watching the tribute, ending up shedding tears.

In an Instagram post shared by WNBA in collaboration with LV ACES, glimpses showcased Colson looking at the big screen, watching his touching gesture from her ex-suitors. This only caught the eye of Rapinoe who reshared the post on her Instagram story with the caption, “I’m Crying🥹🥹🥹🥹.”

The 3x NWSL Shield winner is clearly happy to see that despite Sydney Colson’s departure, her bond with her former team isn’t affected at all. It was also evident by the warm moments that the Houston, Texas native shared with ex-teammates Jackie Young and Kierstan Bell, blending genuine catch-ups with lighthearted banter. But that eventually saw Colson fail to secure a win against the Aces, as the Fever lost 89-81.

A day full of emotional rollercoaster, isn’t it right Pinoe?