Tyrese Haliburton's dad responds to backlash over Giannis Antetokounmpo clash

Unruly parents ruining their children's sporting events unfortunately is a common occurrence. You just don't expect to see it take place in professional sports, especially in the NBA after a playoff game with the father of a player taunting one of the league's superstars.

But that's what happened Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis after the Indiana Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 119-118 in overtime to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Amid the celebration after the final buzzer, the dad of Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton walked onto the court to give Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo a personal message. John Haliburton held up a towel with his son's face and, according to Antetokounmpo, told him more than once, "This is what we f---ing do."

Antetokounmpo confronted the elder Haliburton about his unsportsmanlike behavior. Afterward, Tyrese Haliburton disagreed with his father's conduct, saying, "I don't think my pops was in the right," and Antetokounmpo spoke eloquently about why he felt the whole fiasco was "very, very disrespectful."

Giannis believes in being humble in victory. pic.twitter.com/GYEXyHoXUu
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 30, 2025

Indiana's 4-1 series victory over Milwaukee should've been the main postgame talking point, but John Haliburton's confrontation with Antetokounmpo got most of the spotlight. Even TNT's "Inside the NBA" crew got into a heated debate about it.

The coverage and discussions must've weighed on Haliburton. Because at 12:26 a.m. ET, he tweeted an apology to "Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pacers organization for my actions."

"This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again," Haliburton also wrote. His son retweeted the post.

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

Humility will be required by the Haliburtons and the Pacers in the next round. Fourth-seeded Indiana faces the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, who steamrolled the No. 8 Miami Heat in four games including a 55-point blowout in the series clincher.