OSHKOSH — Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was back in his hometown of Oshkosh, hosting a youth camp at his alma mater, Oshkosh North, on Friday morning.
"To be around the kids and get to give back always means a lot to me," Haliburton said. "It's an exciting day and I'm happy to be home."
Haliburton recently made a donation to his alma mater, leading to new scoreboards and a new weight room on the way, among other improvements.
"He's always looking to do good, and for the financial situation of it – I think it's just another example of his commitment and his love for the community of Oshkosh," said Brad Weber, the head coach of the Spartans.
Hear from Haliburton about what it means for him to return home!
"Just cool to see those things here, and I can't wait to see what they do with it as they get into the season," Haliburton said.
But there's a long road ahead, as Haliburton is about six weeks into the recovery process from his Achilles tear suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Despite that, he says he'll always look back at last season fondly.
"The road that it took to get to the Finals I think is something that people will never forget," he said. "I think there were a lot of moments created that none of us are ever going to forget."
There’s a high probability he’ll be out for all of the upcoming season, as recovering from an Achilles injury can take around a year. But, one thing he can’t wait for is to be back with his teammates.
"I look forward to being with the guys and helping us whatever way I can to see what we can do. When I do get back, get right back to it," the Pacers star said.
Haliburton also shared a few of his favorite local food spots when he returns to Oshkosh. He likes to go to Two Brothers for breakfast, Players Pizza & Pub for dinner, and he said he spends a lot of time at Kwik Trip.
