Tyrese Haliburton Returns With Pacers Starters at FanJam Scrimmage

Tyrese Haliburton played with the starters Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the Indiana Pacers' annual FanJam scrimmage.

His last game came June 22, 2025. Early in Game 7 of the NBA Finals that night in Oklahoma City, Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon, and the Pacers lost the game and the series to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

On Sunday, the White team, made up of the starters, lost to the Blue team in a 12-minute game, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files reported. Agness wrote that it was the shortest FanJam game he could remember. White went 1-of-11 from 3-point range.

Ivica Zubac had 12 points and six rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points.

Fifteen months after the injury, Haliburton is already looking ahead to the season.

"It's fun, it's fun, I'm so glad to be back," Haliburton said in a video the Pacers posted after the event.

"I know a lot of people are excited for me to be back," Haliburton continued, "and I think there's a lot of excitement throughout the whole city for our team and our group. So just happy to be a part of that and look forward to a good year."

Haliburton, Oubre, and rookie Braden Smith took questions after FanJam. Smith also won the Rookie Show, the event's annual performance by first-year players, according to Agness.

Indiana went 19-63 last season without Haliburton and finished 14th in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers had won 50 games in 2024-25. Across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 regular seasons, Indiana went 86-56 with him and 11-11 without him.

Haliburton has averaged 17.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists over 333 career regular-season games.

After a season on the sideline, Haliburton considers his health a closed question.

"I am healthy. I am 100%," Haliburton explained at media day Sept. 28, in a clip posted by NBA on Prime. "There will be no restrictions. That is not news. There is no source. I am the source. I am ready to go for the year."

Camp opened the next day. Haliburton went into it without restrictions.

Zubac came from the Los Angeles Clippers at the February trade deadline and appeared in five games for Indiana last season. Oubre signed a two-year deal this summer after three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. Larry Nance Jr. also signed with Indiana in the offseason.

Indiana is expected to start Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Zubac. Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley ranked that group 11th among NBA starting lineups.

The Pacers begin preseason competition on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7 p.m. ET at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

Indiana hosts the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 10 before going on the road to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 13. The Pacers conclude the preseason by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 16.

Indiana's regular season starts on Oct. 21 against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road. The Pacers' home opener is Oct. 23 against the Dallas Mavericks.