This has been Tyrese Haliburton's return after his Achilles injury

Tyrese Haliburton played a basketball game again more than 16 months later, and he did so in a particularly significant setting. The star of the Indiana Pacers logged his first minutes since tearing his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, in Indiana's 123-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Iowa State.

Haliburton spent 16 minutes on the court, all during the first half, and finished with 7 points, 3 of 8 from the field, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Beyond his numbers, the main goal was to feel competitive again after more than 400 days without playing an official game.

And the player himself acknowledged that nerves and adrenaline made him play at too fast a pace. "It's the first game, but I need to slow down," Haliburton explained after the game. "There was a lot of adrenaline. I was excited to be out there, but I have to slow down a bit."

The Pacers' point guard even compared himself to a rookie after his return, although he found one particularly positive aspect in his feelings. While he admitted that his body was moving too fast, he assured that his ability to read what was happening on the court was still functioning at his usual speed.

"It will come with time. The only way to really replicate that is to play games against other players. And that's what it was," Haliburton said, who also admitted that he still has much room for improvement both individually and alongside his teammates.

A very special return in Iowa State

The game also had an emotional component for Haliburton. Iowa State was his college between 2018 and 2020, and the player wanted his return to have an atmosphere as similar as possible to a college game.

To achieve this, Haliburton bought tickets for the student sections at both ends of the arena, allowing students to access them on a first-come, first-served basis. The initiative caused a long line to form around the venue several hours before the game started. Some fans began to wait since 11:00 PM the night before.

The atmosphere met expectations. "It's the loudest preseason game I've been a part of," Haliburton admitted, also highlighting the special memories he built during his time at Iowa State.

The connection with the fans became even clearer during the fourth quarter. While Haliburton sat on the bench, students began to chant "We want Hali", calling for his return to the court.

The player's response made it clear that his night was over. Haliburton pointed to his feet: his basketball shoes were already in the locker room, and he was wearing white sandals with socks.

Pacers fans to Haliburton

The fans then insisted with another chant: "Put your shoes on". Haliburton took the situation humorously, but there was no turning back.

"Not a chance," he responded with a laugh after the game. "I appreciate that the students wanted that, as it should be, but we have a process."

That process is precisely what will mark the coming weeks for Haliburton. After waiting for more than a year, the point guard has already taken the first step: returning to compete. Now the Pacers will have to gradually increase his load while their star regains the competitive rhythm he lost with that injury in the 2025 Finals.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Así ha sido el regreso de Tyrese Haliburton tras su lesión de Aquiles