NBA: Tyrese Haliburton’s father confronts Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers get into an altercation after Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 29, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Justin Casterline/Getty Images/AFP
Tyrese Haliburton’s father is taking heat for an altercation he instigated with Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Indiana Pacers’ series-clinching 119-118 overtime victory over the Bucks on Tuesday.
After Haliburton scored the winning layup in the last two seconds of overtime to finish off the hotly contested series, his father, John Haliburton, purportedly taunted Antetokounmpo – holding a towel with Tyrese’s face on it and shouting, “This is what we do! This is what we (expletive deleted) do!”
Antetokounmpo told media afterward, “I’m happy that he’s happy for his son; that’s how you’re supposed to feel. But coming at me, disrespecting me and cursing at me, I think, is totally unacceptable. Totally unacceptable.”
READ: NBA Playoffs: Haliburton leads Pacers to OT win, eliminate Bucks
Giannis addresses his postgame confrontation with Tyrese Haliburton's dad pic.twitter.com/yhIcDT34dT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 30, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton said he talked to his father about the incident.
“I had no idea it happened until I got to the back and was showed the video,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “Me and my pops have talked about that, and I don’t agree with what transpired there from him. I think basketball is basketball, and let’s keep it on the court. I think that he just got excited, saw his son make a game-winner and came on the court. But we had a conversation. He needs to just allow me to play basketball (and) stay over there. I’ll come to him to celebrate.”
Antetokounmpo added, “I talked with him at the end. I think we’re in a good place.”
Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points for Indiana, which won the first-round Eastern Conference series 4-1. Antetokounmpo tallied 30 points, 20 rebounds and 13 assists for the Bucks.
