Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Gives Injury Update Amid Rehab From Torn Achilles

Tyrese Haliburton is making significant progress as he recovers from the torn Achilles that has sidelined him for the entire 2025-26 season.

The Indiana Pacers star, who suffered the injury during the first half of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, took to social media Wednesday and revealed he participated in a five-on-five session for the first time since the injury:

It is safe to say things have not gone well for the Pacers with Haliburton out.

They are 18-61, which is the second-worst record in the league behind only the 17-62 Washington Wizards. Yet that record could set Indiana up for success as soon as next season if it results in a top-four draft pick.

With Haliburton's return at point guard, Pascal Siakam on the wing, Ivica Zubac down low and a potential franchise-altering rookie such as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer, the Pacers could be back on the short list of Eastern Conference contenders in the immediate future.

But that all depends on Haliburton returning to form.

He was an All-NBA Third-Team selection in each of his past two seasons and was the driving force of the team's run to the NBA Finals that featured a number of dramatic finishes, buzzer beaters and late-game plays.

It remains to be seen whether Haliburton will be that effective again when he returns, but participating in five-on-five sessions is an important step. 

The latest update comes after he discussed the process with LeBron James on the Mind the Game podcast in January.

"Just started playing like three-on-three and four-on-four full-court," he said at the 21:54 mark. "That's been good to be with the interns and stuff. ... I think the biggest thing is like, I really am glad for where I am. I'm thankful for it. The process has sucked, man. There's been good days, bad days. There's days where I sit there, I just keep asking, 'Why is this happening to me?' It's hard for me to understand in this moment. But I understand that it's allowing me grow in different ways."

Ideally for Haliburton, he will be healthy and ready to go at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.