Indiana Pacers fans, there's good news on the horizon: Tyrese Haliburton is on track to return to the court soon, and he's sharing all the details straight from the source.
The All-Star point guard made a special appearance as a co-host on the Pat McAfee Show this Thursday, giving fans a much-needed update on his recovery from an Achilles tendon tear and a recent battle with shingles. It's been a tough road for Haliburton, who last spoke to the media on April 13th, just after the Pacers' season came to a close in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Back then, he revealed that while the pain in his right leg had subsided, shingles—a painful viral rash affecting his face and head—had thrown a major wrench in his rehab, forcing him to take heavy medication and delaying his progress by weeks.
But now, things are looking up. "I was starting to play 5-on-5 and then got shingles, and that kinda stopped things for like three weeks," Haliburton explained. "It halted things for a little bit, but I'm getting back there now. I just started playing 5-on-5 as the summer's going on. We've got a little team mini-camp here in a couple weeks. I'll be full-go for that. It sucked for a little bit, but I'm good now."
That's a promising timeline for Pacers fans eager to see their star back in action. However, Haliburton was refreshingly honest about the mental and physical hurdles he's still facing. When asked if he's worried about re-injuring his Achilles, he said no—but admitted he doesn't quite feel like his old self yet, especially on defense.
"Defensively, I can tell I'm a step behind," he said with a laugh. "I'm not a great defender already. But I'm playing against interns and I'm like, 'Why is this guy... he's frying me a little bit here.' It's just the process of planting and turning, those things. Offensively, when I'm in control of my move, I feel fine."
It's a candid look at the grind of recovery for one of the NBA's brightest young stars. For now, Haliburton is focused on getting back to full speed—and if his track record is any guide, it won't be long before he's back to dazzling fans with his playmaking and leadership. Stay tuned for more updates as summer heats up.