Tyrese Haliburton never quite came out and claimed the Iowa State connection game in Hilton Coliseum as his own idea, but he left plenty of room for the thought.
"I might have brought it up," Haliburton said with a big smile on his face, hinting that the event was his idea. "I might have requested that we look into. And, like I said, very thankful to our organization for being able to make that happen."
Whatever the exact origin, the result is set: Haliburton’s Pacers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in a preseason exhibition at Hilton Coliseum on October 7. The game, announced Wednesday afternoon by the Pacers and Iowa State Athletics, is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.
For Haliburton, the trip back to Ames carries obvious weight. He spent only 22 games at Iowa State in 2019-20 before a season-ending wrist fracture against rival Kansas State on February 8 ended his year.
Even with that lost stretch, he still landed on the All-Big 12 second team. At the time of the injury, he ranked sixth in the conference in scoring at 15.2 points per game, second in field goal percentage at 50.4%, first in assists at 6.5, first in steals at 2.5, second in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.3, third in 3-point percentage at 41.9% and 13th in rebounding at 5.9.
His 6.45 assists remain the sixth-best mark in Iowa State history.
Haliburton left after that season and entered the NBA Draft, passing on his final two years of college eligibility. Sacramento took him No. 12 overall, and he later landed with the Pacers, where he has become a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA third-team selection.
"It's special for me," Haliburton said about returning to Hilton Coliseum for the exhibition game. "I broke my wrist in January (the injury occurred in February) of my sophomore year, so I missed like two months of basketball there."
Across 57 career games at Iowa State from 2018-20, Haliburton averaged 10.1 points, 4.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 50.4% from the floor, 42.6% from 3-point range and 77.5% from the free throw line.
He is now working his way back after missing the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025. That recovery was complicated by a two-month bout with shingles, which led to medication-related weight gain and pushed back his return to five-on-five work. Haliburton said he has shed the weight, moved past the rash and gotten back to basketball this summer.
"I saw a report that was like, 'Sources tell me Tyrese will be healthy.' I am the source," Haliburton said.
"I can tell you I am healthy right now. I feel great.
I'm doing everything. Playing pick-up pretty regularly at this point, so I feel great.
I will be ready for the season. If the season was today, I'd be ready.
It can't come fast enough."
His bond with Iowa State has only grown since his playing days ended. He has stayed close with head coach T.J.
Otzelberger, who welcomed him back to Hilton Coliseum in March 2025 for a game against Arizona. Iowa State honored Haliburton during that visit after he became the eighth former Cyclone to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games, and the only former men's basketball player to do it.
Haliburton’s ties to the program also showed up in his personal life. He recently married former Iowa State cheerleader Jade Jones, and proposed to her inside Hilton Coliseum in August 2025.
The wedding drew several Iowa State basketball figures, including former players Curtis Jones, Marial Shayok, Georges Niang and Naz Mitrou Long. Iowa State staff member Micah Byers was there as well, and athletic director Jamie Pollard attended in Dallas.
The exhibition could also include another Cyclone name. Tamin Lipsey signed a deal with the Pacers after going undrafted this summer, though a knee injury could affect whether he is available around the scrimmage.
And while the headliner is Haliburton’s return, the opponent brings its own star power. Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Rudy Gobert are part of a Timberwolves group that will give fans in Central Iowa a chance to see a marquee NBA team up close.
"My last time playing in Hilton wasn't very memorable for me," Haliburton said. "So, it's special that I'm able to go back there and play for a preseason game. I'm very appreciative to our organization for making that happen."
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