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The Indiana Pacers’ run to the NBA Finals last year came to a screeching halt when the team lost Tyrese Haliburton with a torn Achilles in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season as he watched Indiana win just 19 games and fall to 14th in the Eastern Conference. But as he fires up to play in 2026-27, Haliburton admitted it’s not the physical injury he’s worried about going into next year.
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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots around the court before an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)
It is a disease he has fought against.
He said Monday that he has been dealing with shingles, which has caused him to gain weight, lose part of his right eyebrow and force him to wear glasses to avoid scratching his swollen eye.
“First and foremost, I would tell anyone over the age of 50 to get the shot,” Haliburton said. “It’s been miserable. I have good days and bad days, but mostly it’s been bad days.
“I’ve taken unimaginable amounts of medication to try to get rid of it. It hasn’t worked. It hasn’t been fun and hopefully it will go away soon. It’s hard to say right with nerve pain, but I’ve been dealing with nerve pain for two months now and in the world of nerve pain it doesn’t last very long. Hopefully it goes away soon.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after suffering an injury during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on June 22, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 1 in 3 Americans will get shingles. The disease, if severe enough, can cause vision loss and nerve pain.
Haliburton said he was on a similar recovery timeline to Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who also suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs last year. Tatum returned to the Celtics in March and has provided the boost Boston needed to be seen as a championship contender.
Haliburton said he has “no worries” about getting back into playing shape once he’s off the medication.
“I’m out of shape like crazy like I’ve never been before,” Haliburton said. “I’ve changed my meds a bunch of times. I’ve had a Botox injection that I thought would help, it hasn’t really helped. I’ve done everything, it just hasn’t worked yet. But I’m confident it’ll go away soon.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton plays during the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., March 29, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
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The Pacers will likely have a top lottery pick in the draft. Adding another young superstar to the Haliburton-led squad would be a blessing in disguise for Indiana as they look to get back on top of the conference next season.
