Tyrese Haliburton might be struggling to walk, but the last few weeks have had its highlights too. The Indiana Pacers star proposed to his longtime girlfriend Jade Jones. Surrounded by glowing neon signs and a trail of roses, he dropped to one knee and asked Jones to spend her life with him. “The place where our story started, and where our next chapter begins,” the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post that features photos from the magical moment.
To mark the start of their new chapter, they took off to Cabo, as Jones said she was “addicted to the summer.” The couple recently touched down back into Indiana, and things looked only upwards for the couple. With Haliburton out for the next season, the two have a lot of time on their hands to do so.
But behind the celebration, Jade carries a bittersweet ache. Amid the joy, she took to Instagram with a raw, heartfelt story: “Missing you extra today,” she confessed, pairing the words with a heartbreak emoji. Her post included a tender photo, widely believed to be of her grandmother, adding depth to the moment, even though the identity remains unconfirmed. The image and message spoke volumes. Jones held the hand of the smiling grandmother, which painted a picture of love and longing during what should have been a purely happy chapter.
Jones is keeping her close ones in mind at in of her highs in her life, even as her partner seems to miss the NBA. “I miss basketball.” Haliburton wrote from Cabo, along with a photo of him on the court. Haliburton had a heartbreaking end to one of the most feel-good stories of the NBA. He led the Pacers with all his heart, and despite his Achilles troubling him, the point guard tried to pull through. However, in Game 7, his body just buckled, and he had to be carried out as the Pacers went down to the OKC.
After his surgery, the point guard is set to be away from basketball for another year. The Pacers’ president of basketball operations, Kevin Pritchard, confirmed by saying, “He will not play next year, though. We would not jeopardize that now. Don’t get any hopes up that he will play.” The one silver lining remains his long-time girlfriend and now his fiancée, who will be on his side every step of the recovery.
Haliburton to balance rehab and wedding plans
There was never a question about Haliburton’s mentality. The Pacers’ star played through his injury and tore his Achilles. Haliburton had a choice to be on the sidelines after Game 5 and play it safe, but he didn’t regret playing through the injury. And he would “do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers.” The player has still managed to keep busy in the offseason.
He has been seen at WNBA games to support Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever, along with other WNBA events. He even made a surprise appearance at WWE SummerSlam 2025, where he was booed by a swath of Knicks fans. After these public appearances, he finally got a break on his trip in Cabo. Now the hard part begins.
Jade’s stories show Haliburton strapped into a protective boot for at least six weeks, marking the start of a tough rehab. Once the cast comes off, he’ll shift to full weight-bearing, ramp up mobility, and hammer away at calf-strengthening drills. While most players get back to hoops in nine to twelve months, the real test, his burst and confidence, might take until well into 2026 to return. And as he powers through rehab, Haliburton will have another major mission: planning an epic wedding with Jade.
They are yet to set a date, but considering their memorable ceremony at Iowa State University’s Hilton Coliseum, the wedding is likely to be even bigger.
“At 25, I’ve already learned that God never gives us more than we can handle,” Tyrese earlier captioned an Instagram photo of himself on a hospital bed. “I know I’ll come out on the other side of this a better man and a better player.”
If the murmurs among the fan community are to be believed, Haliburton will likely come out of this injury as a married man. With Haliburton’s comeback a distant goal, tying the knot this year seems like a natural move. But before anyone pops the champagne, one thing’s still up in the air: what are these two really thinking about the big day?
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