Tyrese Haliburton thinks his return should be a bigger deal — and he makes an interesting point.
The Pacers star is at least making a triumphant return this season, over a year after rupturing his Achilles during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
But while appearing on the “Numbers On The Board” podcast this week, Haliburton unleashed his emotions after learning that the Pacers would begin their 2026 campaign in, of all places, New Orleans.
The Pelicans are expected to be among the weaker teams in the Western Conference, with an over/under of 27.5 wins on DraftKings.
“Name any other person that you compare to my level of a basketball player, wherever you have me ranked. If they tore their Achilles and missed 16 months, do you think that game would be on national television?” Haliburton asked the hosts, all of whom said yes.
“Do you think that game would be at home, if not on national television?” Haliburton followed up, as the hosts again agreed.
“Do you think that that game would be at New Orleans?” Haliburton added, with a smirk on his face.
Haliburton continued after the panel reacted to his questioning.
“When I saw the schedule, I was like, ‘Oh wow!” he said. “Shoutout [Pelicans star] Trey Murphy [III], love my boy, Trey. Love New Orleans. But I was shocked to see that.”
Yes, the Pacers are starting their season with the Pelicans.
Not with the Knicks, Cavaliers, Thunder, Pistons, Celtics, Heat or Hawks.
Nope — the Pelicans.
The Pacers and Pelicans don’t have a rivalry, nor do they have a recent high-profile trade.
They’re not even in the same conference, to Haliburton’s point.
The two-time All-NBA and All-Star guard averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists, shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three last we saw him in 2024-25.
Memorably, he pushed the Pacers into Game 7 of the NBA Finals, where the team pulled off several dramatic comebacks and signature performances en route to a near-championship.
Even in Game 7, before Haliburton’s injury, he drained three 3-pointers in just seven minutes of play.
