Paul George knows exactly what it means to carry the burden of expectations from the fans, and it being unfulfilled due to injury. He signed a four-year, $212 million max contract with the Sixers last summer. But could only appear in 41 games. Philly shut him down with six weeks left, as the team missed the playoff contention. Still, it’s no match to what Tyrese Haliburton felt, as in one moment, he was leading his team to glory, and in the other, he was on the court, pounding the floor in pain.

Since that horrific injury, many players, including LeBron James, sent out best wishes as the Pacers guard recovers. George is another one of those supporters. “I knew it was over from the moment you know you saw that, which is unfortunate cuz he came out hot, you know what I mean? He came out as a leader, you could tell he was ready, he was prepared, and then I knew right away once I seen him fall down,” the 35-year-old, on his podcast, explained how he felt seeing another hooper being stopped by an injury.

Just like everybody, the injury to Haliburton brought flashbacks of the 2019 Kevin Durant injury, even to PG13. The recovery time after Achilles surgery is 9-12 months, which means there is a huge chance that Tyrese misses the 2025-26 season entirely. That’s why George called it, “This type of injury, that injury alone, is hard to come back from. So, yeah, it’s tough, man. It’s brutal.” However, there was some advice from the 9x All-Star not only to the Pacers, but even to the Boston Celtics.

Remember when Jayson Tatum suffered the same fate in the playoffs? “Yeah, it shapes, I mean it’s going to shape the future of Indiana, you know what I mean. The same way the injury with Jayson Tatum’s going to shape the future of Boston, you know what I mean. Like that window that they had of keeping those guys together might look different.”

Paul George continued and emphasized the injury takes a toll unlike any other.” It might look different, you gotta wait out another year, you know what I mean. And so like things change, the league change, guys move around, that you know who’s to say… So, like exactly, he’ll heal, he’s young. But that injury is a hard one to come back from.”

The East is certainly in a pickle. Lillard, Tatum, and Haliburton are all out with the same Achilles injury. Currently, New York looks the most healthy, but they don’t have a coach. Cavaliers, despite dominating the conference during the regular season, ended by losing 4-1 to the Pacers in the second round. So, who is to say which team is actually in form or can take control? Most importantly, if there are any important changes in Indy, how will the team respond then?

Not the only time when Paul George defended and supported Tyrese Haliburton

Even before the season began, the Pacers guard already had the gold. And although an injury halted his playing time, Team USA did not fail to bring the Gold Medal at the 2024 Olympics. Even until the halfway mark, the Pacers had no real identity and weren’t in their greatest of forms. Then came the turnaround, which catapulted them to the playoffs. Amidst this, there were many reports of Haliburton being called “overrated” and “not a superstar”.

Paul George laid all those negative issues to bed. On his Podcast P show, PG didn’t just defend Tyrese Haliburton—he threw him straight into the superstar tier. “In my eyes, I think he is a superstar. He is the face of the NBA. He is the number one option.”

This was in response to Stephen A. Smith, who sparked the fire on First Take, flat-out saying Haliburton hasn’t earned the “superstar” tag. After all, his multiple clutch moments helped the team reach this stage.

That’s why Haliburton has no regrets about his injury or its recovery time. “Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown,” Tyrese Haliburton broke his silence after undergoing Achilles surgery. “The frustration is unfathomable. And honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don’t regret it. I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special.”

In his long post, he mentioned he had no regrets representing his team despite suffering a calf injury, which resulted in his Achilles injury. One thing’s for sure—don’t count Tyrese Haliburton out. Follow the recovery, believe in the grind, and witness the rise of a true NBA superstar.