Oshkosh celebrates ‘Tyrese Haliburton Day’ as Pacers guard returns home for Hall of Fame honor
The Pacers guard was inducted into the Oshkosh North Hall of Fame and received a city proclamation during a return to his alma mater on Feb. 5.
Tyrese Haliburton was back home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Thursday for a meaningful honor.
The Pacers point guard, who is currently rehabbing from the torn Achilles he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, was celebrated for his contributions to the school and inside the gym now known as Frank Schade Fieldhouse.
It’s the same gym where he helped Oshkosh North High School to a 2018 state championship. He was also voted Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year that year.
Oshkosh Mayor Matt Mugerauer declared today — Feb. 5, 2026 — “Tyrese Haliburton Day” as the 2018 graduate was celebrated by those from his past and inducted into the Oshkosh North Hall of Fame.
Here was Haliburton’s message to a packed gymnasium (via Sports 101 Daily):
The one story I want to tell about Dreaming Big has to do with being told no. It’s going to happen. Whatever you want to do in life, there’s going to be people, obstacles, all those things in your way. I think I should tell a story of my time when I was here.
I had to take a class that had to do with a lot of guest speakers that came in. We talked about mutual funds and stocks and all these different things that you talk about in finance classes in high school. One day I was in here, probably not being the best student, probably just talking with a couple of friends. The guest speaker came up to me in front of the whole class. I’ll never forget he pulled me aside and said, ‘What do you want to do in life?’ I said, ‘You know what? I think I want to go to the NBA.’
He laughed at me and told me that my chances of doing that are probably slim to none in front of the whole class. I think some people would probably feel that as embarrassment, but for me, I thought it was kind of funny.
I knew that this was my dream my whole life and I wasn’t going to let anybody diminish that. I think that’s important that I share that with you guys, is just achieve what you want. Unfortunately, I invited that guest speaker here today. I don’t think he’s here, but I would love to see him and shake his hand at this point.
That’s all I’m going to leave you guys with. It’s dream big, anything’s possible if you put in the right amount of work. I’m really excited to be here. I love this high school. I love all the teachers and academic people that have helped me get to where I am today. I appreciate you guys. Thank you for having me.
Haliburton was joined by his family, including fiancé Jade Jones and his marketing agent Kristina Kozica, in row 1 to help him celebrate this moment.
His father, John, kept the family’s home in Oshkosh and told me he’s never selling it.
Tyrese has been back to Oshkosh North several times in the last six months.
He was there in the fall to announce a $3 million donation for enhancements to the Spartans’ gymnasium — including a new scoreboard, video board, and upgraded weight room. The basketball teams are outfitted in PUMA gear and one month ago, he returned to his high school to deliver a custom Hali 1 shoe made exclusively for the boys and girls basketball teams.
This date worked out well for Haliburton because the Pacers play in nearby Milwaukee, about 90 minutes south, on Friday night. The team will also be back there on Sunday, March 15.
The day also came as the Pacers were active on the transaction front.
Before they departed Indy for Milwaukee on Thursday afternoon, the front office agreed to a trade with the LA Clippers to acquire center Ivica Zubac and guard Kobe Brown in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and three draft picks.
