In a quiet corner of Indiana’s basketball universe, two of the state’s brightest stars, Tyrese Haliburton and Caitlin Clark, are forging a bond not through highlight reels or buzzer-beaters, but through the grind of recovery.
Both sidelined by injuries, Haliburton and Clark have found themselves in the same weight room, at the same time, chasing the same goal: getting back to the game they love. And in that shared space, a friendship has deepened.
“We lift at the same time, so it’s just us two in the weight room,” Haliburton told reporters. “We spend a lot of time together. It’s good to have each other to lean on in a time like right now”.
Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers’ All-Star point guard, is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The injury has ruled him out for the entire 2025–26 season. Across town, Caitlin Clark, face of the Indiana Fever, is battling a groin strain and lingering bone bruises that have kept her out since mid-July.
For two athletes used to leading their teams and electrifying crowds, the transition to rehab has been humbling. But it’s also been connective.
“It sucks that she’s been hurt for as long as she has,” Haliburton said. “But just for us to be able to communicate, even in her recovery, has been great”.
Their conversations go deeper than pick-and-rolls and defensive schemes. Haliburton noted that they often talk about how defenses guard them similarly, how their roles as playmakers come with unique pressures, and how frustrating it is to be stuck on the sidelines.
“Our offensive and defensive issues are the same sometimes. Everything is really similar between us,” he added.
Clark has been vocal about her desire to return. Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark is “working her butt off” to get back on the floor, though there’s no firm timetable for her return.
While both stars would rather be on the court, their shared rehab routine has become a source of emotional support. In a season where Indiana basketball has been hit hard by injuries, Haliburton and Clark have become each other’s sounding board, lifting weights, spirits, and expectations.
“It’s very important to have someone to talk to during this time,” Haliburton said. “I guess it’s a good thing, but I wish she was playing”.
As the Fever push toward the playoffs and the Pacers regroup for next season, the hope is that both Haliburton and Clark will return stronger, physically and mentally. And when they do, their time in the weight room may prove to be the most important minutes they’ve spent all year.
