Tyrese Haliburton Gives Encouraging Achilles, Shingles Update

Tyrese Haliburton is getting closer to feeling like he's fully recovered after a torn Achilles and dealing with shingles.

During Monday's appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the Indiana Pacers star guard shared his most encouraging update to date with a few months left before NBA teams open training camp in late September.

"I feel great. I feel great," Haliburton said. "Shingles is basically behind me now, for the most part. That was tough, but I've lost the weight, I feel great, and it's the best I've felt in a long time."

Haliburton shared that he's continuing to deal with some lingering effects from shingles, but he is encouraged by the progress that has been made.

"I'd be lying if I said all the shingles is gone," he said. "I still have some nerve stuff going on in my eye sometimes where I'm really itching my eye. But for the most part, everything else is gone."

Haliburton tore his right Achilles during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, ending the Pacers' championship run and sidelining him for the 2025-26 season. Without their floor general, the Pacers finished 19-63. Indiana had to shift course to focus on tanking and produced the worst record in team history.

His rehab came with an unfortunate development in February when he developed shingles on his face. The infection caused severe swelling around one of his eyes and sidelined his recovery for roughly eight weeks. Haliburton said the medications used during treatment caused him to gain weight, which he has since lost while working his way back into basketball shape.

McAfee felt Haliburton walked onto the set without any noticeable limp. Haliburton acknowledged how much better he feels now compared to earlier in the process.

Haliburton stopped short of saying he's completely past every hurdle, but nothing in his update raises questions about his availability for training camp and the start of the upcoming NBA season. The two-time All-Star owns career averages of 17.5 points and 8.8 assists and remains the centerpiece of Indiana's offense whenever he returns.

Haliburton also shared an update on his lighthearted attempt to recruit LeBron James to Indiana. He revealed that he texted James before Fanatics Fest to pitch the idea of joining forces in Indiana, only to receive six laughing-crying emojis in response.

"It's not looking good," Haliburton joked.

After losing an entire season to an Achilles tear and watching Haliburton's rehabilitation delayed by shingles, Monday marked the clearest indication yet for the Pacers that he's closing in on a return. If that progress continues into training camp, Indiana could have its All-Star point guard back to begin the 2026-27 season.