(Ames, IA) — An NBA exhibition game in Ames this fall will see an Iowa State great come back to Hilton Coliseum. The October 7th matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves marks the return of Tyrese Haliburton.
He’s been with the Pacers for the last five seasons. Haliburton played with the Cyclones for two seasons before being taken as the 12th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Tickets for the Pacers-Timberwolves exhibition go on sale September 9th.
Tyrese Haliburton has established himself as one of the NBA’s top point guards during his career with the Indiana Pacers. The former Iowa State standout has played 333 regular-season games and earned two NBA All-Star selections.
Haliburton led the NBA in assists during the 2023-24 season, averaging 10.9 assists per game. His playmaking ability has made him a key part of Indiana’s success and helped establish him as one of the league’s premier guards.
During the 2024-25 regular season, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game. He then helped lead the Pacers to the NBA Finals, averaging 17.3 points, 8.6 assists, and 5.3 rebounds during Indiana’s 23-game playoff run.
Haliburton’s postseason came to an unfortunate end in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He suffered a torn right Achilles early in the game and was unable to return.
The injury forced Haliburton to miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season. After spending the season rehabbing, Haliburton was cleared to resume full basketball activities ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Now, the focus turns toward his return to the court as Haliburton looks to build on an already impressive NBA career and help the Pacers make another run at the championship.
