Here’s why Giannis confronted former Kings star Tyrese Haliburton’s father
Tyrese Haliburton’s father was a mild-mannered NBA dad when his son played for the Sacramento Kings, but he showed a fiery side following an intense Eastern Conference playoff game between the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.
John Haliburton had a heated confrontation with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo after his son made a go-ahead basket with 1.1 seconds remaining to help Indiana eliminate Milwaukee with a 119-118 overtime victory in Game 5 of their first-round series.
John Haliburton walked onto the floor and talked trash to Antetokounmpo while holding up a towel featuring his son’s face in the raw, emotional seconds after the buzzer sounded to signal the end of Milwaukee’s season. The two men got into each other’s faces and exchanged words before they were separated.
Antetokounmpo and Tyrese Haliburton commented on the altercation following the game while John Haliburton took to social media to issue an apology.
“I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game,” he tweeted. “This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again.”
Antetokounmpo addressed the situation after the game, saying he didn’t immediately realize he was being confronted by Haliburton’s father.
“I thought he was a fan,” Antetokounmpo said. “I realize he was Tyrese’s (father), which, I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, coming on the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, (saying), ‘This is what we do. This is what we do. This is what the F we do.’ I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”
Tyrese Haliburton, who started his career with the Kings before being traded to Indiana, acknowledged his father was wrong to antagonize Antetokounmpo.
“As far as the incident between Giannis and my pops, I had no idea it happened until I got to the back and was showed the video,” he said. “Me and my pops have talked about that, and I don’t agree with what transpired there from him. I think basketball is basketball and let’s keep it on the court. I think that he just got excited, saw his son make a game-winner, and came on the court.
“But we had a conversation, and I think he just needs to allow me to play basketball and stay over there. I’ll come to him to celebrate, but I think it’s the emotions of the game, just got excited there, but I talked with him. I’ll talk with Giannis eventually about it. I don’t think my pops was in the right at all there.”
