Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton loves to interact with the crowd, and the 24-year-old point guard recently got that opportunity at WWE’s NXT event. While the Florida crowd reacted unfavorably to him, the two-time NBA All-Star cleverly responded to the jeers from the fans.
On Tuesday, Haliburton appeared at the NXT show in Orlando, Florida, to set up the championship match. The Pacers guard had the contract of the match in his hand and required Ethan Page and Trick Williams to sign it.
The 2024 NBA assists leader brought his Pacers teammates, including Myles Turner and Enrique Freeman. He said, “I am here to make sure Trick Williams and Ethan Page get this contract signed. But I didn’t come alone; I brought my reinforcements with me.”
As he introduced his teammates, the Florida crowd started booing Haliburton and the Pacers. However, the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist responded by saying, “I would boo too if I had to be an Orlando Magic fan.”
Tyrese Haliburton Meets WWE Legend Shawn Michaels Backstage
The Florida crowd intensified the booing after the Pacers guard’s cheeky response. Apart from the crowd, Haliburton also interacted with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels backstage. A video of their interaction has gone viral on social media.
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Haliburton’s response was not surprising. After all, the Orlando Magic dominated the Indiana Pacers 2-1 in the 2023-24 regular season. Indiana and Orlando finished the season with a similar record of 47-35. However, the Magic faced an early playoff exit, while the Pacers had a decent season, reaching the inaugural NBA Cup and Eastern Conference Finals.
This is not the first time Haliburton has appeared at the WWE. In June, the Pacers star faced Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks on “Friday Night SmackDown.”
