Tyrese Haliburton's Two-Month Shingles Battle: The Hidden Cost of His Achilles Recovery

Tyrese Haliburton just revealed something that makes his injury comeback story a whole lot more complicated. The Indiana Pacers star opened up Monday about a brutal two-month battle with shingles that left his face swollen, cost him part of an eyebrow, and added unexpected weight to his frame during what was already a grueling rehab year.

"I couldn't even go in front of a camera if I wanted to early, because my eye was basically closed shut," Haliburton told reporters in Indianapolis the day after the regular season ended. "It was all over my face."

A Hidden Setback During an Already Tough Year

Here's the timeline: Haliburton tore his right Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June and was ruled out for the entire 2025-26 season. Then in February, while grinding through rehab, he got hit with shingles. The disease kept him sidelined for two months, and the physical toll has been real. He developed a rash for the first two weeks before the itching started. When he finally rejoined the team on the bench for the final few weeks of the season, he was wearing glasses to keep himself from touching his face.

The 26-year-old star told "The Pat McAfee Show" that he received a Botox injection and switched his medication multiple times to manage the symptoms. But his latest medication came with a brutal side effect: weight gain. His face appeared puffy and swollen Monday.

The Long Road Back

"I've lost part of my eyebrow; my eye is always swollen from itching it," Haliburton said. "I have good days and bad days, but for the most part it's bad days. So, it has not been any fun."

The good news? He announced last week that he's started playing in five-on-five scrimmages. Those were originally scheduled to begin after the All-Star break before the shingles setback derailed the timeline. Haliburton's dealing with this stuff with some humor too, laughing off what social media has been saying about him during his recovery.

It's a reminder that comeback stories aren't just about the headline injury. Sometimes the body throws everything at you at once, and you've got to fight through it anyway.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.