Hans Perez is an original member of the Indiana Pacers. Most recently, one of his worst receptions came in New York City—in full defense mode, proudly wearing his much-loved Tyrese Haliburton jersey. The incident occurred on the streets following the New York Knicks’ victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. As Perez traveled the city, trash bags were thrown at him. An elated bunch of Knicks fans greeted him, taking great pleasure in their team’s success as they mocked jubilantly.
A short video clip of the fight itself quickly went viral on TikTok, bringing national attention to Perez’s awful ordeal. In a recent interview with “The Pat McAfee Show,” the otherwise modest firefighter beamed, retelling the story. He demonstrates his dedication to the Pacers by sporting a tattoo of the team’s logo on his wrist. He gave an animated description of how those rabid, crazed Knicks fans chased him, jeering at him as he dodged and weaved through the New York City streets.
Reacting to this incident, Indianapolis Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton said he was shocked and saddened that Perez had to go through this. On the day after practice, Haliburton joined via video chat from Indianapolis. He fully extended an outright invitation for Perez to sit by his side at Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. That match-up is still on for next Tuesday, 5/17 in Indianapolis. Haliburton has extended an invitation to Perez to have a guest join him!
“Everybody in our organization wants to make sure you’re taken care of,” – Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton’s gesture shines a light on the brotherhood present in the Pacers organization and their desire to stay close to Indiana fans. For Perez, this invitation is deeper than mere game. It’s a tangible reminder of love and support from his favorite player, on his favorite team, during a difficult period.
During his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Perez gave Haliburton complete props for what he did. He even tweeted about his excitement at going to the game.
“I’m pretty sure we can work something out,” – Hans Perez
The Eastern Conference Finals will start out Wednesday night, with Game 1 in New York. As the Pacers get ready for their next game against the Knicks, fans can only hope that they continue to develop this rivalry further. Even as Perez continues to work through the challenges of their experience, it has had a wonderful turn, all thanks to Haliburton’s intentional invite.
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