Tyrese Haliburton's Dad Facing Backlash After New Video Shows His Behavior Before Heated Giannis Antetokounmpo Moment

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Apr 30, 2025 1:53 AM ET

Tyrese Haliburton's dad, John Haliburton, continues to receive criticism following his heated moment with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Now, a new video showing the moment before the intense exchange only amplified the backlash against the elder Haliburton.

After the final buzzer, the Bucks forward confronted John Haliburton in a surprising turn of events. Initially, the encounter seemed to unfold as a typical end-of-series handshake, but cameras captured Antetokounmpo getting heated with the All-Star guard's father.

An alternate camera angle provided greater context on what happened, revealing how Tyrese Haliburton's father celebrated excessively after Indiana won. In the video, he not only rushed onto the court but also turned to approach Antetokounmpo, waving a towel featuring his son's face and appearing to taunt the two-time NBA MVP.

Following this revelation, fans took to social media to react to John Haliburton's actions.

Another angle of Tyrese Haliburton’s father and Giannis.

(via @squaresense)

pic.twitter.com/9ymvIScH2p
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 30, 2025

"Why didn't any Bucks players get in that idiot's face?" a fan asked. "He acting like Giannis wouldnt fold him and his son," another chimed in.

A supporter said, "That’s lame asl from his dad."

"Nah Tyrese dad was overstepping. Is he okay?" a fourth social media user wondered.

A commenter shared, "Who does that old dude think he is Giannis would fold him and his son."

"I’m glad i saw this angle cause Hali dad was deff in the wrong for taunting Giannis after a big loss like that," a follower added.

For his part, Tyrese Haliburton acknowledged that his father acted inappropriately. After hitting the game-winner, the guard shared a heartfelt hug with his old man and a respectful one with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he was unaware of the earlier exchange until he returned to the locker room and viewed the footage.

The Pacers playmaker also stated his plan to reach out to the Bucks big man about the incident.

The Pacers rallied from a seven-point deficit with 40 seconds left in overtime of Game 5 to defeat the Bucks, 119-118, and win the series 4-1. They now advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals where they will face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

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

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