John Haliburton — An All-Star Dad
Indiana Pacers Point Guard Tyrese Haliburton may be the NBA All-Star, but his dad is showing what it means to enjoy the best seats in the house.
My love for the Indiana Pacers is well-documented. So is my love of fatherhood. That’s why when I saw this post from Reddit user /u/ksptdpt titled “Got a gift for my daughter tonight!” my heart melted.
After attending a Pacers game in Phoenix against the Suns, /u/ksptdpt shared a story about running into John Haliburton, dad of Pacers All-Star Point Guard Tyrese Haliburton.
After the game, I ran into John Haliburton to show him the 24-month sized Haliburton jersey I bought for my daughter. I didn’t get a chance to have Ty sign it himself, but without me asking he took it and told me to find him next week.
Well with the help of John, Tyrese, and some Pacer reps, I got an incredible gift for my daughter! Such a surreal experience!
John Haliburton met a Pacers fan in Phoenix, borrowed the fan’s jersey, had his son sign it, traveled with it across the country, and returned it to the fan the following week in Indianapolis, all to make this fan’s year with a priceless gift for his daughter. How cool is that?
Tyrese Haliburton is having quite the year. After signing the largest contract in Pacers history, Tyrese led his team to the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship game, led the NBA in assists per game, and was the 2024 NBA All-Star game leading vote-getter for Guards in the Eastern Conference.
Everyone knew Tyrese would be good, but the rapid ascension to superstar status has caught some by surprise. Though if you asked his dad, I’m sure he’d tell you greatness was coming since day one.
John Haliburton is a staple at Pacers games. It’s rare to see a home game where he isn’t rocking custom Pacers gear underneath the hoop, cheering his son on.
And when I say custom Pacers gear, I’m not just talking about a jersey with his son’s name on it. No. John takes items like a Pacers warmup jacket and customizes it with pictures of his son throughout the years, documenting his growth from a child who loved to hoop to the NBA All-Star he’s become.
John is unapologetic about his love for Tyrese and his family. From the way he hugs Tyrese after big games to the way he speaks about him during interviews, his public displays of affection aren’t what your average person would associate with historic fatherhood, but dads like John are changing the game.
The National Center for Fathering conducted an informal poll of men about affirmation and love from fathers. After asking the group to raise their hands if their fathers told them they loved them on a consistent basis, usually 3–4% of the dads would raise their hands.
Some people may say it’s no big deal. A lot of people who didn’t have that benefit still grow up and do fine. But our research and experience at the National Center tells us that (hearing dads say ‘I love you’), spoken with sincerity and backed up by behavior, can demonstrate support, encouragement, tenderness, and caring as much as anything else we do as fathers.
Now, a comment section is hardly where you should go to find anything but mild entertainment, but on a December 5, 2023, Instagram post from the NBA titled “John Haliburton was stoked last night for his son, Tyrese Haliburton,” I was amused by a few of the comments on the post.
“Body language doesn’t lie, they don’t have the relationship that his dad wants us to believe they have.”
“He’s just embarrassed for his pops to hug him like that lol”
“lmao you can tell he wasn’t around when he was coming up.”
I know people love to hate, and that’s okay, but as someone who writes about fatherhood often, I was more curious about the background of these commenters. Are we really that uncomfortable with men showcasing their love for their kids in public? Maybe, but when dads are active in their kids' lives, the results speak for themselves.
According to the National Fatherhood Initiative (and if we’re being honest, common sense), involved fathers reduce emotional and behavioral problems in kids, criminal activity, and poor school performance to name a few. According to me, involved fathers have more fun because they get the best seats in the house for the world’s greatest show.
Thankfully, today, there are men around the globe who wear their love for their children on their sleeves, and these examples of fatherly affection are building healthier homes and stronger communities. Whether it’s shown on the largest stage in the world or spoken earnestly at home, there is zero downside to telling your kids how proud you are of them.
I’ve never met John Haliburton. One time at a Pacers game in Sacramento, John saw me in my Tyrese Haliburton jersey from about 100 feet away and yelled, “My man!” But that’s about it.
While I can’t personally speak to his character, everything I’ve heard from friends who have met him matches the story I shared at the beginning of this article. John is kind, generous, and he adores his family. I think if there were three things I’d like to be known for, it’s that.
I am here for all the John Haliburton content. In a world where men struggle to show vulnerability or even tell their closest family how they feel, seeing a dad who is over the moon about his son’s accomplishments is a breath of fresh air.
And John’s love isn’t rooted in his son’s recent accolades, contract, or fame; John’s been courtside since the beginning, and judging by this June 2018 tweet, I’d say courtside is where he belongs.
“I got this wonderful feeling inside and it felt like this, most people will never get to meet their Favorite player, I’m Raising Mine :-) and that’s a wonderful feeling.”
