Tuesday’s loss put a rough ending on the Bucks’ lost 2024-25 season.
Tyrese Haliburton hit a game-winning layup in Game 5 of the Pacers-Bucks first-round matchup, as Milwaukee unraveled in the final seconds of overtime.
Immediately after the final buzzer that ended the series, Haliburton’s dad, John, was seen in a verbal spar with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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Here’s what to know about the interaction between John Haliburton and Antetokounmpo after the Pacers’ win.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo-Tyrese Haliburton’s dad fight, explained
Just seconds after Bucks vs. Pacers Game 5 ended, ending Milwaukee’s season soon after Damian Lillard’s long-term injury, cameras caught Antetokounmpo and John Haliburton face-to-face having a heated interaction.
Antetokounmpo appeared to approach Haliburton with his hand out, then get in his face. Tyrese’s father didn’t back down, looking up at the 6-11 Antetokounmpo and sending some words back.
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At this time, there’s no indication of what was said between the two. Here’s a look:
Giannis and Tyrese Haliburton’s father exchange words.
(via @MrBuckBuckNBA)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 30, 2025
After a few seconds, the two were separated, with Antetokounmpo going back to the locker room for the final time in the 2024-25 season.
Another clip before the face-to-face interaction made its way around social media, where John Haliburton was already in the middle of the court and appearing to taunt Antetokounmpo in the moments after the final buzzer sounded. Antetokounmpo did nothing but stare back:
Some of the WEAKEST “fan” behavior I have ever seen. @NBA you better do something about this. This is your son’s moment, you should be absolutely ashamed by this weak shit from your old man, @TyHaliburton22
What an absolute joke. pic.twitter.com/kxrZSs5wFz
— Not Gery Woelful (@goodlandfan) April 30, 2025
Here’s another angle, where Haliburton more clearly approaches Antetokounmpo first, waving his towel at him while slowly walking toward him:
Another angle of Tyrese Haliburton’s father and Giannis. 😬
(via @squaresense)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 30, 2025
After the game, Tyrese Haliburton was asked about his father’s interaction with the Bucks star. He said he didn’t know about it until he was off the court and that he “doesn’t agree” with what his father did in the moment.
“Basketball is basketball, and let’s keep it on the court. I think that he just got excited, saw something, the game-winner, and just came on the court,” Haliburton said. “We had a conversation. … I’ll talk with Giannis eventually about it, I don’t think my pops was in the right at all there. Unfortunate what happened there.”
“I don’t think that my pops was in the right at all there. … We will have a conversation and I’ll talk to Giannis it’s unfortunate we’re all grown men.”
Tyrese Haliburton on the confrontation his dad had with Giannis following Pacers-Buckspic.twitter.com/NJfCnPEfUR
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) April 30, 2025
Postgame, Antetokounmpo also provided context into what happened from his point of view. He first explained how he prefers to remain humble after victories, even after winning a championship, also using the situation to reflect on when his mother was curious if she was even allowed to come celebrate on the court after he won a title with Milwaukee in 2021.
He then got into the interaction with John Haliburton, saying how “emotions run high” after a game like that.
“Having a fan — at the moment I thought it was a fan, I didn’t realize it was Tyrese’s [dad], which I love Tyrese, I think he’s a great competitor,” Antetokounmpo said. “[He was] coming in the floor, showing me his son on a towel with his face.”
Antetokounmpo said John Haliburton was saying “This is what we do,” with some expletives, and he found it “very, very disrespectful.” The Bucks star then spoke about his own father’s humbleness and how he learned it from him, then said that perhaps someday he might be the dad on the court supporting his son.
“I’m talking about right now how I feel [though]. … I’m happy for him, and I’m happy for his son, and I’m happy that he’s happy for his son. That’s how you’re supposed to feel. But coming to me, and disrespecting me, and cursing at me, I think it’s totally unacceptable,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’m not the guy that points fingers, because in my neighborhood, ‘snitches get stitches,’ so I don’t want to say something for him to get fined or anything. But it’s not respectful, I thought, with him at the end.”
Giannis believes in being humble in victory. pic.twitter.com/GYEXyHoXUu
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 30, 2025
After the dust settled, Haliburton’s father took to X to issue an apology to Antetokounmpo as well as the Bucks and Pacers organizations.
I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game. This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again.
— John Haliburton (@PapaHaliburton) April 30, 2025
Bucks and Pacers players also had an intense postgame interaction, with Antetokounmpo in the thick of it initially:
The Bucks and Pacers going at it after the game 😮 pic.twitter.com/802elTgRgR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 30, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton game-winner
John Haliburton, a former women’s basketball coach and now a referee, was likely feeling the emotions of the moment, as his son had hit the shot that sent Indiana to the second round just seconds earlier.
Tyrese Haliburton’s layup with 1.3 seconds left was the final shot in the Pacers’ 119-118 win.
TYRESE HALIBURTON GAME WINNER. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 30, 2025
