Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers star and lifelong WWE enthusiast, recently revealed that an Achilles injury prevented him from participating in a unique WWE SummerSlam John Cena opportunity. Haliburton shared on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast that he had been approached to make a special appearance at the event in New York City, which was closely tied to his passion for wrestling and basketball.
The Plans for a Special WWE SummerSlam Appearance
Haliburton explained that although the idea was not fully finalized, discussions took place about him joining WWE icon John Cena during SummerSlam, possibly carrying the NBA championship trophy if Indiana had won the Finals. He remembered,
The plan was, like, two months ago. And when I say plan, I mean very, very loosely, like I talked with H maybe about one time.
—Tyrese Haliburton
He added,
Was like, if Cena’s a heel in New York and we win a championship, let me walk him out with the trophy.
Although Oklahoma City won that series, missing the chance to walk with Cena still weighed heavily on him. Haliburton said,
When I got hurt, the first two things was like, this game, next season, John Cena.
—Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton’s Lifelong Passion for WWE
Haliburton also reflected on his deep connection with WWE, dating back to his childhood memories of watching WrestleMania 19 when he was just three years old. He continues to collect wrestling memorabilia, including his childhood spinner belt marked with his name. He even visited WWE’s Performance Center but admitted that his physical ability didn’t match the rigors of wrestling. In his own words,
I could never do what you guys do,
—Tyrese Haliburton
Defending Wrestling as a Legitimate Performance
Addressing critics who dismiss wrestling as merely “fake,” Haliburton compared it to movies and theater, emphasizing the physical toll on performers. He argued,
You watch movies, don’t you? You think Spider-Man is real?
and continued,
This is way, way more fun… it’s a performance, except you guys are putting your bodies through everything.
He mentioned that anyone watching live WWE events would quickly appreciate the skill and effort involved.
Significance of the Missed WWE Moment for Haliburton
Though his injury ended the potential crossover moment with John Cena, Haliburton expressed that sharing the WWE stage alongside his childhood hero would have been as meaningful as winning an NBA championship. The setback has left him reflecting on what might have been, underlining the emotional impact beyond just the sports world.
