Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton on Tuesday said that his brother was called the N-word during Game 1 of his team’s first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Haliburton’s Pacers outlasted the Bucks, 125-108, to win Game 2 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Haliburton, a Wisconsin native, was asked during his postgame press conference about what it’s been like to start his postseason career in his home state.
The two-time All-Star said that he’s been able to spend a lot of time with his family. Haliburton then revealed that his brother was allegedly called a racial slur during Sunday’s Game 1.
“My little brother in the stands the other day was called the N-word,” Haliburton said. “It was important for us as a family to just address that. … That didn’t sit right with anybody in my family.”
Haliburton added that his brother has “handled [the situation] the right way” since the alleged incident.
The Pacers star also acknowledged that the playoff environment has been much more hostile compared to his previous stops in Milwaukee as a visiting player.
Haliburton finished the contest with 12 points and 12 assists on 4-for-10 shooting from the field. His co-star Pascal Siakam led the way for the Pacers with 37 points and 11 rebounds in the Game 2 victory.
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