Tyrese Haliburton spent a little over four minutes on Tuesday between WWE NXT stars Ethan Page and Trick Williams. The Indiana Pacers guard was the show’s guest on celebrity night to help settle the next NXT championship in Chicago. Haliburton’s presence might have been the key for the champ Page to agree to Williams’ challenge.
Hours after the event, an X (formerly Twitter) user used the image of Page signing the contract to fake a different setting. Instead of a WWE ring, the background was changed to what looked like an airport. The account trolled Haliburton with the caption:
“The fans at the airport are getting to be obnoxious.
“Respect the talent’s privacy. Please.”
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Tyrese Haliburton gamely responded:
“Everybody knows this photoshop cuz who would actually WANT an “Ethan Page” action figure”
The Pacers’ two-time All-Star stayed true to character even if he was no longer with the NXT show.
Ethan Page, before signing the contract, told Haliburton and his “pal” Trick Williams that the championship in Chicago would be familiar for both. Page boasted that he would be the Boston Celtics who would beat the Pacers and the rest of the NBA.
Tyrese Haliburton isn’t a stranger to rivalries on the basketball court or in a WWE ring. Trash-talking is something he doesn’t mind as he can hold his own.
Fans shouldn’t be surprised if Haliburton will stay true to his wrestling script. The WWE is bringing three of its biggest shows, the Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania and SummerSlam, to Indianapolis.
The basketball Olympic gold medalist might have another cameo during one of the events.
Tyrese Haliburton faced off with Jalen Brunson on Smackdown
After eliminating Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in the playoffs, Haliburton returned to MSG a few weeks later. This time, he was with Logan Paul for the Smackdown “Money In The Bank” event. Paul faced LA Knight and Santos Escobar in the match.
Paul quickly got in trouble and asked Haliburton for help. The MSG crowd lustily booed the Pacers guard when he took a brass knuckle. Brunson, though, wouldn’t have any of that as he confronted him outside the ring.
When Paul lost the match via an LA Knight submission, Tyrese Haliburton, still wearing the brass knuckle, went on stage. Knight wasn’t outnumbered for long as Jalen Brunson joined the stage with a steel chair.
No blows happened in the confrontation, but the NBA players did as well as anyone could expect. The New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers rivalry also took another turn following that confrontation. With the WWE coming to Indianapolis, the Haliburton-Brunson face-off might be on the cards.
Pacers Fan? Check out the latest Indiana Pacers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.