Indiana Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is not content with just sitting ringside. He wants to get in on the action. Speaking on the latest episode of What’s Your Story?, Haliburton discussed his love for professional wrestling, which began in childhood, and revealed that he is actively trying to convince WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H to let him get physically involved.
Haliburton’s passion for the business is evident in his collaborations with the company, including his third official t-shirt. “Hunter hit me. He’s like, ‘Yo, what do you want to do?’ And he lets me have a lot of input on what I do in my shirts,” Haliburton said. “I was like, ‘I want to do something around John [Cena],’ he’s obviously my favorite wrestler, big fan. There’s no time for what ifs, still leaving time in there and coming off my injury and stuff.”
His fandom dates back to his earliest memories, which his uncle often made happen. “When I was born, I had an uncle… he would come over and convince me to cry to my mom to buy the pay-per-view, because Gary didn’t want to pay for it,” he recalled. “My earliest show that I can remember crying to get my mom to buy would be like, WrestleMania 19.”
Now, he uses WWE events as a way to bond with his father. “Every event that I go to, for the most part, now, I bring my dad. That’s our way to bond… I have a picture that I’m gonna get framed. It’s my dad meeting Triple H for the first time. I was like a kid, I was like, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
This close relationship with WWE has led Haliburton to ask for more than just tickets and merchandise. “You know how many times I tried to convince your husband to let me go through a table or something,” he said. “The NBA would never let us. I said, Who cares? I don’t have to ask them. I’m a big believer in ask for forgiveness, not permission… I’m gonna get annoying enough that he’s gonna let me do something.”
Haliburton, who is currently recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the 2025 NBA Finals, has frequently appeared on WWE programming.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit What’s Your Story? with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
