Harry responds to his Achilles tear: sometimes it's just bad luck, it's unbelievable that Kobe could still shoot free throws.

On July 23, Beijing time, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton discussed his recovery from an Achilles injury on "The Pat McAfee Show." When addressing the increase of these injuries in the league last season, he mentioned that apart from bad luck, he believes there isn't a clear explanation.

Haliburton is currently recovering from his Achilles tear, which he sustained early in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder. He was the third player to suffer an Achilles tear in the playoffs last season, with a total of seven such injuries occurring throughout the season, setting a historical record.

“I think when players get injured or such incidents happen frequently, everyone thinks they know the reason,” Haliburton said in his first public interview since the injury. “Everyone assumes it’s because we play too much and have too many minutes—those arguments might hold some truth, but I don't believe they are the cause of these injuries.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also stated that he does not believe the number of games or minutes played is the main factor. Earlier this summer, he told ESPN that most Achilles injuries occur in the first half of the season.

“So I don't think anyone can provide a definitive answer,” Haliburton said. “I believe injuries sometimes are just bad luck, and that's the reality. I think this kind of situation is inevitable in sports.”

When Haliburton tore his right Achilles, he was already playing with a calf strain—he was officially diagnosed with the calf strain after Game 5, but people noticed him protecting that leg as early as Game 2. Before Game 6, Haliburton passed a calf pressure test, allowing him to play, and he said he felt great going into Game 7.

“After Game 6, I thought, ‘It’s fine, it’s all over, adrenaline will carry me through, I’ll be okay,’” Haliburton said. “By the time Game 7 came, I felt no discomfort, I felt great before the game. I think that’s why I started off so well in the game. But obviously, something unexpected happened in the end.”

Reflecting on the moment he collapsed on the floor, crying after his Achilles injury, Haliburton said: “At that moment, all I could think about was that game. Because there’s definitely a reason to worry about such things happening; you always hear people who have had this injury say it feels like someone kicked your leg from behind. It’s not the most painful thing, but it feels like someone kicked the back of your calf. So when I went down, I immediately knew what had happened. I was just sad that I couldn’t continue playing. All the emotions hit me at once. But I wasn’t thinking about what would happen the next year or the consequences of the injury. I was only focused on what was happening in Game 7; that moment felt really terrible.”

“At that moment, I wanted all my teammates to leave, I wanted to walk off the court myself because Kobe did the same when he ruptured his Achilles. But when I tried, I found I had no strength at all, I couldn’t support myself. It’s unbelievable that Kobe even went to shoot free throws.”

A month has passed since the surgery, and Haliburton is still using a mobility scooter to get around. The Pacers have confirmed that he will miss the entire season. He mentioned that he has already spoken with Kevin Durant (who suffered an Achilles tear during the 2019 Finals) and Jayson Tatum (who suffered an Achilles tear a few weeks before Haliburton). Durant even visited Haliburton at home.

Haliburton said: “Just yesterday, I started using crutches to walk, taking on 50% of my body weight. In about 7-8 weeks, I should be able to walk in a protective boot without relying on the scooter. I can’t wait to see that moment; many little things will feel natural then.”

The Pacers guard stated that his goal is to make the most of the time from now until his expected return for the 2026-27 season.

“I want to use this time to further enhance my understanding of the game. I plan to spend more time with Coach Rick Carlisle, attend coaching meetings, and communicate with Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard to offer some assistance. I believe my understanding of basketball is quite good. So I will do my best to help my teammates. Once I can walk, I’ll quickly get back to the bench to cheer for the team.”