LeBron James Had One Word After Tyrese Haliburton's Game 7 Injury

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Spencer Ostrow | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 9:50 PM ET

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton went down in visible pain during the first quarter of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After starting the game by hitting three of his first four shots from three and going 3-of-5 from the field, Haliburton caught a pass from teammate Obi Toppin near the top of the key and tried to drive past Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

He planted his right foot and immediately collapsed to the floor. The 6-foot-5 guard knew right away and slapped the court many times before tears were brought to his eyes.

Haliburton was then carried off the court by his teammates after he couldn't put any weight on his right leg.

Immediately after the injury, the sports world took to social media, devastated for him. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, among the many, posted the "F" word on X.

This injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Pacers. Indiana reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, and a big reason for that was Haliburton.

The sixth-year guard had already hit three game-winners in these playoffs alone and came into Game 7 averaging 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game.

The Sacramento Kings drafted Haliburton with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. He was then traded to the Pacers in the middle of the 2021-22 season. Since then, he's gone on to make two All-Star Games and be selected to the All-NBA Third Team twice.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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