After the Indiana Pacers stunned the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs, there was a bit of drama off the court. Tyrese Haliburton’s dad got into a confrontation with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Recently, a video with leaked audio of the on-court battle surfaced on the internet. Tyrese’s dad, John Haliburton, was heard poking Giannis as he was going strong against the Pacers. Despite the Bucks being on the brink of elimination, the Greek Freak dropped 30 points, along with 20 rebounds and 13 assists.
However, despite his heroics, Haliburton got the much-needed win for Indiana with his last-minute layup. As soon as the Pacers rallied to the court to celebrate, John went straight to Antetokounmpo and flashed a towel with Tyrese’s face on it.
“This is what we do… that’s right, go home!” John said to Giannis.
To which Giannis said- “Don’t f*cking disrespect me.”
What Tyrese Haliburton’s Dad Said To Giannis Antetokounmpo👀:
— LegendZ (@legendz_prod) June 28, 2025
John: “This is what we do… that’s right, go home!”
Giannis: “Don’t f*cking disrespect me”
Then, Giannis grabbed Mathurin’s neck and also exchanged words. Mathurin said: “What? I’m right here” pic.twitter.com/mvSYIS2sJe
Thankfully, Pat Connaughton jumped in to break things up, along with a couple of Indiana assistants. TJ McConnell also stepped in to help diffuse the tension.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Went Off On Tyrese Haliburton’s Dad
After the game, Antetokounmpo expressed his frustration over what he deemed a “disrespectful” act. He explained that John Haliburton approached him while waving a towel and making inappropriate remarks.
“I believe in being humble in victory. A lot of people out there that are like, no, when you win the game, you talk s*** and it’s a green light for you to be disrespectful towards somebody else. I disagree,” Giannis said(Via ESPN).
After the game, emotions ran high, and as Antetokounmpo remained on the court, John Haliburton confronted him directly. Antetokounmpo initially mistook him for an excited fan before realizing who he was. He later described John’s behavior as very disrespectful.
Tyrese made it clear that he didn’t support his dad’s actions, as basketball should stay on the court. He acknowledged that John was just caught up in the excitement after Tyrese made the game-winner.
