LeBron, Tyrese Haliburton Explain How WWE Helped Them Embrace Their 'Villain' Era in New Video

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James discussed Tuesday how their pro wrestling fandom has played a role in their willingness to embrace being a villain on the court.

During an appearance on LeBron's Mind the Game podcast (beginning at the 30-minute mark), Haliburton talked about his passion for wrestling and how it has impacted him as a basketball player:

"I'm a big wrestling fan," Haliburton said. "I love wrestling, I love that heel, bad guy who you wanna cheer for, like The Rock and guys like that you grew up watching. Everybody's booing them, but they love it. I feel like I'm that way."

James acknowledged that he grew up a wrestling fan as well, and he alluded to Hulk Hogan's transformation from a beloved babyface into a hated heel known as "Hollywood" Hogan as a member of the nWo in WCW.

LeBron noted that he draws inspiration from the entertainment he consumes, such as wrestling and movies.

James also made mention of his appreciation for the Batman villain The Joker, adding: "Our personality is like, we wanna go out and have fun, get our guys involved, smile, be happy. Because that brings us joy, that's how we've always played it, but we can tap into the Joker role if ya'll make us. We can get there too and still be able to perform at a high level."

Haliburton helped lead the Pacers all the way to Game 7 of the NBA Finals last season, and he had no qualms about tapping into his villainous side when the Pacers were on the road.

That was especially apparent during the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks, as he made myriad clutch plays and made sure the fans at Madison Square Garden heard about it when he did.

Haliburton and the Pacers knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and the rivalry even made its way onto WWE programming.

On an episode of SmackDown at MSG in 2024, Haliburton played the heel role alongside Logan Paul during an altercation with Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and LA Knight.

Like any good villain would, Haliburton retreated when Brunson entered the ring with a steel chair, much to the delight of the New York City faithful.

Both Haliburton and James have made multiple appearances on WWE events over the years, and it is clear that the art of pro wrestling and developing a character has rubbed off on each of them.