Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton recently shared the moment he understood he would not take part in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Pacers star discussed the experience on the Mind the Game podcast while continuing his recovery from a torn Achilles.
Haliburton is sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season after suffering the injury in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The setback halted what had been a rapid rise into the league’s elite guard tier.
Haliburton was officially named to the Team USA roster in April 2024 and traveled to Paris as one of the 12 players representing the United States.
Despite being selected, Haliburton’s on‑court opportunities were scarce, and he appeared in just three of Team USA’s six games, playing a total of 26 minutes across the tournament — the fewest of any American player in Paris.
During the podcast, Haliburton described a film session where the realization set in unexpectedly. He explained how the message being delivered slowly became clear as coaches spoke.
“And I’m sitting there, and I’m listening, I’m like, ‘Yeah.’ And as we start film, I’m like… But who are they talking about?” Haliburton said, via HoopsHype. “And I’m looking, I’m looking around. I’m like, ‘Oh, he ain’t talking about him. He ain’t talking about him.’”
The Pacers guard said the moment hit when he recognized the discussion centered on him. The realization disrupted his focus entirely.
“I’m like: Oh, they talking about me,” Haliburton said. “I was sitting there, I’m like, ‘Oh no. This—this is what it is.’”
Haliburton added that he struggled to process the moment in real time. The disappointment lingered as the session continued.
“I was sitting there, I’m watching film. I can’t even pay attention to film,” he said. “I’m so—I’m like, ‘Damn.’ Like, it’s over.”
