Before the bright lights, All-Star nods, and NBA Finals hype, Tyrese Haliburton was just a kid who needed his dad. Not for rides to school—he lived right down the road—but for something deeper. After John Haliburton lost his job when Tyrese was in elementary school, those morning drives became a quiet lifeline. “I would make my dad drive me every day.” A way to connect, laugh, talk hoops, and just be father and son in the middle of uncertain times.
“We would watch SportsCenter or whatever together in the morning before he’d drop me off,” Tyrese said. “My dad doesn’t think I can do any wrong… he’s always said I’m the best, I’m going to be the best.”
Eventually, John started working third shift, grinding through overnight hours and crashing during the day. But he never missed those mornings with his son. It was a small window—but they made it count. Because that’s what family does when life gets hard. They show up. They keep believing.
Now, as Tyrese steps onto the NBA’s biggest stage, John will be right there—just like he always was. And for Tyrese, that means everything. This isn’t just a Finals run. It’s a thank-you. It’s a full-circle moment years in the making.
ongoing story…
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