Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is making steady progress in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, nearly eight months after the injury. He has gained 30 pounds during rehab and aims to return as a more physical player in the 2026-27 season. Haliburton shared insights on his journey during a podcast with LeBron James.
Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers' point guard and two-time All-Star, suffered a torn Achilles in the final game of the 2025 season. Now, nearly eight months later, he is advancing in his rehabilitation but anticipates a return only in the 2026-27 NBA season.
Haliburton has reached the stage of participating in full-court 4-on-4 scrimmages against team interns and reserves. However, speaking on the "Mind the Game" podcast hosted by LeBron James, he noted that he still has "some time" before regaining his pre-injury form.
A significant change during his recovery is his weight gain. Haliburton revealed he weighed 180 pounds on Game 7 day but is now at 210 pounds, up 30 pounds overall. He attributes some of the increase to indulgences like cookies and ice cream but sees potential benefits in maintaining a portion of it for a more physical style of play.
"That's really something that I'm trying to focus on through my rehab, through my time to get back is just being more physical," Haliburton said. "I was 180 pounds on Game 7 day. I'm 210 right now. I'm up 30 pounds, bro. And obviously when I start to run, I'm gonna get that off me. Some of it's not good because I've been drowning my sorrows in cookies and ice cream and stuff. But I think I see that and it's a way for me to be more physical at the rim, to get more free throws."
"Getting into chests, tangling arms, making all these perfect reads to get to the free throw line is just something I'm really trying to focus on adding through rehab as I watch the game."
The 25-year-old Iowa State alumnus and 2024 assists leader is using his time away to analyze basketball differently. Instead of scouting opponents, he studies other players' tendencies to incorporate into his game. He specifically admires Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard's physical approach.
"I think seeing the game of basketball, I'm watching it in a different light," Haliburton said. "I think it's different when you're getting ready to play a team like Boston, for example, and we've got Payton Pritchard. He's nice. All I'm focused on is can I get a stop. I'm not thinking about how he's making his reads and stuff."
Despite the challenges, Haliburton remains grateful. "The biggest thing is I really am glad for where I am," he said. "I'm thankful for it. The process has sucked, man. There's been good days, bad days. There's been days where I sit there and I 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 to grow in different ways, to grow in my faith, to grow in all these different ways that have been good for me."
As a versatile defender and scorer, Haliburton's added strength could elevate his performance if he fully recovers from the often-career-altering injury.
