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Punishment Announced For Father Of NBA Star Tyrese Haliburton
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Tyrese Haliburton's father, John, infuriated NBA fans around the country when he confronted Giannis Antetokounmpo following Game 5 between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers. 

After the Pacers punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference semifinals, John Haliburton walked over to Antetokounmpo and waved a towel in his face. He also allegedly used some vulgar words when yelling at the two-time MVP.  

Obviously, Antetokounmpo wasn't thrilled with John Haliburton's antics.  

"I believe in being humble in victory, that’s the way I am," Antetokounmpo said. "Now there’s going to be a lot of people out there that’s going to be like no when you win the game you’ve got to talk [expletive] and it’s a green light for you to be disrespectful toward somebody else. I disagree. I’ve won a championship, they haven’t." 

During this past Tuesday's postgame press conference, Tyrese Haliburton made it clear that he didn't approve of his father's behavior. 

"As far as the incident between Giannis and my pops, I had no idea it happened until I got to the back," Haliburton told reporters. "I talked to my pops after, and I don't agree with what transpired there from him. He needs to just allow me to play basketball. I'll talk with Giannis about it. I don't think my pops was right." 

Countless fans said Haliburton's father should be banned from attending playoff games for the rest of the year. On Thursday, the Pacers provided a much-needed update. 

Mar 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center.Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A spokesperson for the Pacers told ESPN that John Haliburton wont attend the team's games for the foreseeable future. 

"After conversations with Tyrese Haliburton’s father John Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers front office, John Haliburton will not attend the team’s home and road games for the foreseeable future," ESPN's Shams Charania said

It's unclear when we'll see John Haliburton back at an NBA arena. 

Game 1 of the Cavaliers-Pacers series will begin this Sunday. The series won't shift to Indiana until May 9. 

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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