Giannis Antetokounmpo Clashes With Haliburton’s Dad After Bucks Loss

• Apr 30, 2025

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an emotional reaction after the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

The heated moment followed a dramatic finish to the game, which ended 119–118 in favor of the Pacers after Tyrese Haliburton drove past Antetokounmpo to make the winning layup with just 1.3 seconds left on the clock.

After the final buzzer, Antetokounmpo stayed on the court to show respect to several Pacers players. However, tensions quickly rose when he exchanged words with Indiana’s Benedict Mathurin. What began as a seemingly routine postgame interaction escalated when Mathurin pushed Antetokounmpo away, sparking a brief altercation between players from both teams.

The situation intensified when Antetokounmpo had a face-to-face confrontation with Tyrese Haliburton’s father, who had been watching the game from the stands. A Bucks coach had to step in and pull Giannis away. According to Antetokounmpo, Haliburton’s father was waving a towel with his son’s face on it and shouting aggressively.

“I believe in being humble in victory,” Antetokounmpo said afterward. “I’ve won a championship. That doesn’t mean I’m better, but I don’t think it’s okay to disrespect someone in defeat.” He added that although he initially thought Haliburton’s father was just a fan, he later recognized who he was and found his behavior—cursing and celebrating directly in Giannis’s face—disrespectful.

Giannis also reflected on the values passed down by his late father, Charles Antetokounmpo. “My dad was always respectful,” he said. “He taught me to stay humble, especially when you’ve worked your whole life from nothing.”

Tyrese Haliburton addressed the situation after the game and agreed with Antetokounmpo’s point of view. “I don’t agree with what my dad did,” he said. “He got excited and stepped onto the court, but that’s not how it should go. I told him to let me play and celebrate with him after.”

Despite the loss, Antetokounmpo put in a strong performance, finishing with a triple-double—30 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists. Haliburton led the Pacers with 26 points, five rebounds, and nine assists, including the decisive game-winner that ended Milwaukee’s playoff run.