Giannis responds to confrontation with Tyrese Haliburton’s father
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INDIANAPOLIS — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was involved in a tense exchange with John Haliburton, the father of Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, following Game 5 of their first-round playoff series — an incident sparked by what Antetokounmpo described as a "disrespectful" interaction on the court.
The Pacers were celebrating Tyrese Haliburton’s go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds left in overtime, sealing a 119-118 series-clinching victory on Tuesday night. According to Antetokounmpo, John Haliburton approached him during the celebration, waving a towel and shouting obscenities.
"I believe in staying humble in victory," Antetokounmpo said after the game, which marked the end of Milwaukee’s season. "A lot of people think winning gives you a green light to be disrespectful — I disagree with that."
Antetokounmpo delivered a 30-point, 20-rebound, 13-assist triple-double, but Indiana forced two turnovers in the final 29 seconds of overtime. Tyrese Haliburton then drove past Antetokounmpo for the decisive layup, capping an 8-0 run that stunned the Bucks.
After the loss, Antetokounmpo lingered on the court, where John Haliburton confronted him. The two came face-to-face before being separated by Bucks players and team security.
"Emotions run high after a game like that," Antetokounmpo said. "At first, I thought it was a fan — then I realized it was Tyrese’s dad. I love Tyrese; he’s a great competitor. But for his dad to come on the floor, wave a towel with his son’s face, and say, ‘This is what we do,’ — that felt very disrespectful."
Antetokounmpo noted that he later spoke with John Haliburton, and the two cleared the air.
Tyrese Haliburton, who wasn’t aware of the incident until returning to the locker room, agreed that his father crossed a line.
"I don’t agree with what happened there," Haliburton said. "Basketball should stay on the court. He got excited after seeing his son make a game-winner, but we talked. I told him to let me handle things on the floor, and I’ll come celebrate with him later. He wasn’t in the right."
John Haliburton later issued an apology on social media, writing: "I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game. This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son, and I will not make that mistake again."
The confrontation was one of two postgame altercations involving Antetokounmpo. He also exchanged words with Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin during a postgame embrace, placing a hand around Mathurin’s neck before the two were separated by teammates.
"This series had a lot of words, a lot of antics — a lot of personal stuff going on," Tyrese Haliburton said. "That’s just part of the rivalry we’ve built over the past couple of years."
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