For New York Knicks fans, the name Tyrese Haliburton carries significant weight. In the 2024 playoffs, Haliburton played a pivotal role in sending the Knicks home. He repeated this feat a year later during the Eastern Conference Finals.

In Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury, causing him to miss the last season. During his recovery, the Knicks triumphed over the Spurs, ending a title drought of more than 50 years.

In a conversation with host Speedy Morman on Boardroom Talks, Haliburton shared his initial reaction. He confessed, “When the Knicks won, I thought to myself, ‘I gotta turn this [expletive] off.’ I can’t watch it.” Though he always tunes into Finals celebrations, this one felt different.

Despite this, he decided to watch the celebration. When his wife, Jade, and friends offered to switch it off, he declined. “You know what, leave it on. Let me watch it. And to see Jalen celebrate with Ali, his wife… me and my wife are friends with them. I was like, that’s awesome to see,” Haliburton stated.

He expressed joy seeing Josh Hart with his twins and Karl-Anthony Towns with Jordyn Woods. Yet, he acknowledged the ongoing rivalry. “Are they our rivals? Yes… We hate each other when we’re playing, but after that, it’s love,” Haliburton mentioned.

Haliburton described his mixed feelings. “I felt every emotion. I was angry, but I was also happy. I was sad that I didn’t get the opportunity to compete in that,” he remarked.

Ending on a determined note, Haliburton looked forward to returning to the court. Indiana anticipates his full recovery by the season’s start. The Knicks begin defending their title on Oct. 20 against the 76ers, and the rivalry is poised to reignite.