Tyrese Haliburton is still in the thick of rehab after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals - a brutal blow that sidelined him for the entire 2025-26 season. But even in recovery, the Indiana Pacers star is showing the same mix of honesty, humor, and perspective that’s made him one of the league’s most relatable rising stars. And nothing captured that better than a story he recently shared on the Mind the Game podcast - a behind-the-scenes moment from the 2024 Olympics that’s equal parts hilarious and humbling.
"I'm watching film, I can't even pay attention to film. I'm like, 'Damn it's over. It's over man. I ain't getting no PT out here.'"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 27, 2026
Tyrese Haliburton joked about his lack of playing time with USA Basketball at the Olympics 😅
(via @mindthegamepod)
pic.twitter.com/gY50wCi76f
Picture this: a Team USA film session filled with basketball royalty. LeBron James.
Kevin Durant. Head coach Steve Kerr.
The kind of room where every word carries weight and every glance says something. That’s where Haliburton found himself, fresh off a breakout NBA season, soaking in the moment - until the conversation took a turn.
“Steve Kerr starts talking about how everybody can’t play,” Haliburton recalled. “And Bron is talking about how, you know, in the ‘04 Olympics, I didn’t really play that much. And you kind of, you got to put your pride aside.”
At first, it felt like a general message - the kind of veteran wisdom you expect in a locker room full of All-Stars. But then it hit him.
“I’m sitting there and I’m listening, and I’m like, but who are they talking about? I’m looking around… oh, they talking about me.”
That’s when the realization sank in. Haliburton, one of the NBA’s brightest young guards, was the odd man out in a rotation stacked with Hall of Fame talent.
And he felt it. Right there in the middle of a film session.
“I was sitting there. I’m watching film.
I can’t even pay attention to film,” he said. “So I’m like, damn, it’s over.
I ain’t get no PT out here.”
Then came the punchline - classic Haliburton, self-aware and sharp: “I’m the one guy in the school project that didn’t do nothing and got an A.”
But here’s the thing - that wasn’t the end of the story. Not even close.
Despite thinking he’d spend the Olympics glued to the bench, Haliburton got his shot. In a win over South Sudan, he made his debut, knocking down two of his three shots from deep, finishing with six points and an assist.
It wasn’t a stat-stuffing performance, but it was a moment - a turning point. And by the time Team USA wrapped up a gold medal win over France, Haliburton had gone from forgotten man in the film room to Olympic champion.
That arc - from doubt to delivery - says a lot about who Haliburton is. He’s got the humility to laugh at himself, the patience to wait for his moment, and the confidence to seize it when it comes.
Now, as he works his way back from a season-ending injury, that mindset matters more than ever. The Pacers are still waiting on their leader - the engine of their offense, the voice of their locker room. And while there’s no definitive timeline for his return, there’s no doubt about the mentality he’s bringing into this next chapter.
Haliburton’s Olympic memory isn’t just a funny story - it’s a snapshot of what makes him different. He’s real.
He’s resilient. And when the lights are brightest, he finds a way to rise.
So the question now isn’t whether he’ll bounce back - it’s what moment will define him next. Because if history’s any indication, Haliburton’s got a few more surprises in store.