Indiana Pacers forward Tyrese Haliburton became one of the most hyped up stars in the NBA last season. Among the many nicknames coined by fans, 'Haliban' was one that Haliburton has refused to endorse.
Appearing on Logan Paul's "Impaulsive" podcast on Tuesday, Haliburton joked about the origin of the name.
“It’s unfortunate. Obviously, the Taliban is like a terrible group of people. I can never publicly acknowledge it or respond … we were in New York, unfortunately.”
Haliburton's nickname "the Haliban" was made by blinding his surname with the word "Taliban." It became a tongue-in-cheek meme from the notion that he "terrorizes" the opponent sides with his game play, especially in crunch situations.
According to "Know Your Name", the nickname really took off during the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, after Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers defeated the Knicks. Fans on social media took the trend to another extent when they implied that he 'bombed' New York with his performance.
Tyrese Haliburton reveals his passion for wrestling
During his appearance on Logan Paul's "Impaulsive", Tyrese Haliburton also revealed his passion for wrestling.
“This is like my 2nd favorite thing in the world behind basketball. … it’s something I’ve always been super interested in,” Haliburton said.
His bond with wrestling started in childhood. He said that it all started with late uncle, Gary and his dad, as he'd cry enough for his mom to pay for pay-per-views.
In December 2023, he met WWE legends Booker T and Queen Sharmell at a Pacers game. Haliburton was excited to meet them. He also wore a wrestling-inspired gear and paid tribute with D-Generation X-themed sneakers during a playoff game against the Bucks on March 11.
In September 2024, Tyrese Haliburton appeared in a WWE contract signing segment, where he taunted Orlando Magic fans, drawing cheers as well boos from the audience. During SmackDown in June 2024 at MSG, he partnered with Logan Paul, where he faced rival Jalen Burnson in a classic heel vs face moment.
Furthermore, during SummerSlam 2025, near MSG, even after being injured and on crutches, Haliburton appeared ringside. WWE legend borrowed one of his crutches mid-match, a moment which went viral on social media.