Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton has a pointed message for people who criticize professional wrestling for its predetermined nature. On a recent appearance on IMPAULSIVE, Haliburton defended his fandom by comparing wrestling to other forms of entertainment.
“I get in debates with people all the time. I’m like, ‘I’m going to SummerSlam.’ They’re like, ‘You watch that sht?’ Yeah, motherfcker! You watch movies, don’t you? You think Spider-Man real? He ain’t coming to save you, bro,” Haliburton stated.
He further emphasized the physical risks involved, likening the performers to stage actors who face immediate public scrutiny for any mistake. “You’ve been to a musical before? People go out there and they have to perform, and if they fck up, everybody’s gonna see it and laugh? That’s the same thing here, except these guys are putting their bodies through fcking everything.”
Haliburton’s passionate defense comes just weeks after his memorable appearance at SummerSlam. Despite recovering from a torn Achilles that will sideline him for the entire 2025-26 NBA season, he was present at ringside for the Undisputed WWE Championship match between John Cena and Cody Rhodes.
During the main event, Cena directly interacted with the injured NBA star, delivering his “you can’t see me” taunt before taking one of Haliburton’s crutches to use as a weapon against Rhodes. Haliburton later joked on social media that Cena only needed to ask for the crutch.
The appearance capped off a summer where Haliburton’s deep interest in WWE became clear. He had previously revealed a storyline he pitched to Paul “Triple H” Levesque, which hinged on the Pacers winning the NBA title. The plan was for Haliburton to walk John Cena to the ring, with both men entering as champions in their respective fields, though the Pacers’ loss and Haliburton’s Finals injury prevented it.