Tyrese Haliburton Extends Heartwarming Gesture to Pacers Fan Assaulted in New York, Amid Growing Tensions with Knicks Fans
In a touching act of sportsmanship, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is stepping up to support a devoted fan who became an unfortunate target of hostility during the NBA playoffs. Hans Perez, a loyal Pacers supporter, recently went viral after he was aggressively harassed and pelted with garbage by New York Knicks fans simply for wearing Haliburton’s jersey in public.
The incident unfolded in New York City, where the tension is palpable ahead of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Pacers and the Knicks. A video circulating widely on social media shows several people throwing garbage bags at Perez in broad daylight, an act that sparked outrage among NBA fans across the country.
Perez appeared on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday to discuss the incident. During the segment, he received a surprise virtual visit from Haliburton himself, who brought a message of solidarity and an exciting invitation. Haliburton told Perez that the Pacers organization wants to make things right—and will fly him and a guest to Indiana for Game 4 of the conference finals. In addition to covering travel, the team is also providing hotel accommodations to ensure Perez and his guest have a memorable experience.
“I personally wanna bring you and a plus-one out to Indiana for Game 4,” Haliburton said. “Everybody in our organization wants to make sure you’re taken care of.”
Perez, visibly moved, proudly displayed a tattoo of the Pacers logo on his arm during the show and responded with gratitude and enthusiasm, chanting “Let’s go Pacers!” live on air.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst Also Targeted
Perez was not the only one who faced unruly behavior from Knicks fans. Veteran ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst was also subjected to verbal harassment and had garbage thrown at him following New York’s victory over the Boston Celtics to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.