1-on-1 with John Haliburton on his postgame exchange with Giannis
John Haliburton spoke with Fieldhouse Files about the on-court interaction. 'To see (Tyrese) on the winning side after people criticized him like that, it’s a moment.'
John Haliburton is the proud father of Tyrese Haliburton — the face of the Indiana Pacers who delivered a game-winning layup in overtime to lift his team to a Game 5 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. The comeback, capped by Tyrese’s heroic finish after trailing by seven points with just 40 seconds remaining, secured the Pacers' first-round series win.
They now advance to the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, with a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers beginning Sunday.
But what happened after the thrilling win also grabbed headlines.
Following the emotional finish, John Haliburton walked from his front-row seats — where he watches nearly every home game — onto the court, proudly waving a towel bearing his son’s face. NBA rules restrict court access to players, coaches, and credentialed personnel, so his presence on the floor stood out. He walked toward the top of the arc, where Giannis Antetokounmpo, fresh off a season-ending loss, took issue with the moment.
Multiple video angles quickly spread across social media. One showed Antetokounmpo walking up to John Haliburton. The two exchanged words, appeared tense, then seemed to part on respectful terms.
On Wednesday afternoon, John Haliburton spoke with Fieldhouse Files to share his perspective.
“All you gotta do watch the real video,” he said. “Watch the real video and you'll see that it wasn't what they thought it was. Yeah, you saw me standing there looking at Giannis; yeah, you did. But I wasn’t trying to intimidate him. I don’t intimidate nobody, I’m humble. I don’t believe in that, it was just one of those moments.”
A bad moment that all wish didn’t happen.
Anyone that has come across John knows he’s warm, kind-hearted, and deeply invested in his family. He’s been a coach, a game official, and is a lifelong sports parent. He’s heard the criticism in the aftermath — but he’s trying his best to ignore it.