Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has shed light on a difficult stretch behind the scenes, revealing that his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon was compounded by a serious case of shingles that lasted nearly two months.
Speaking during his season-ending exit interview on April 13, 2026, Haliburton described the toll of the illness, which surfaced while he was already sidelined from the injury he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
“I took an unbelievable amount of medication (for shingles). It didn’t work… It made me gain weight & look bigger. That became a topic on social media. It hasn’t been fun”
The condition brought more than just discomfort. Haliburton explained that the shingles outbreak affected his face, at one point causing his eye to swell shut. He also dealt with ongoing nerve pain and said the experience resulted in the loss of part of his right eyebrow.
The visible changes to his appearance became a talking point online in recent months. Haliburton addressed that speculation directly, attributing the weight gain and swollen look to the heavy medication required to treat the infection.
Though the illness did not extend his absence from games, as he was already out for the entire 2025-26 season, it created additional challenges in his recovery timeline. The complications delayed his ability to begin full-contact, 5-on-5 basketball activities, slowing what was already a demanding rehabilitation process.
In a lighter moment, Haliburton caught smoke about his recent fashion choices.