WATCH: Pacers' Star Tyrese Haliburton Takes Playful Jab at Orlando Magic during WWE's NXT

During an appearance at NXT live in Orlando Tuesday evening, the Indiana Pacers guard made a playful comment at the expense of the Orlando Magic.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton at WWE's NXT, live in Orlando, on Tuesday, September 17. / WWE on YouTube

In wrestling terminology, Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton loves playing the role of a 'heel.'

During the Tuesday, September 17 episode of "NXT," one of the main shows put on by WWE and is based and filmed at the company's performance center in Orlando, Haliburton did just that.

Haliburton, a noted WWE fan who has made appearances on the brand's TV programming before, was once again back on air Tuesday night. This time, instead of squaring up with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson or flashing a title belt ringside in Indianapolis, Haliburton was in the ring with a mic in his hand.

First, the All-NBA guard introduced his own "reinforcements" who would help ensure two of the brand's superstars would sign a contract for an upcoming match. Those reinforcements happened to be a majority of his Pacer teammates sitting ringside, which drew some boos given that they're one of the teams the Magic will be competing with this year. As any good heel does, Haliburton then took the chance to flip the negative energy toward the crowd. Doing so in the hometown of an Eastern Conference rival too, Haliburton took the layup.

"I would boo too if I had to be an Orlando Magic fan," Haliburton joked. "I get it, I get it."

"I would boo too if I had to be an Orlando Magic fan."@TyHaliburton22 came with some backup in the form of some @Pacers teammates and then let the NXT crowd hear it! 😂#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/bvfeXNw7Ja

— WWE (@WWE) September 18, 2024

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball while Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) defends in the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Haliburton and the Pacers are in Orlando for a player-organized minicamp, put together by Pascal Siakam at his home as a way to motivate the team and bring them closer together in just his first offseason as a Pacer.

Having gone out of his way to appear at other WWE events, including a live episode of "Smackdown" in Madison Square Garden, the home of the Knicks team his Pacers ousted in seven games these past playoffs, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Halibutron found himself at the event. The Knicks and Magic now share quite an uncommon trait, each having been the target of a joke during a WWE event in the same offseason... by another NBA player.

The Pacers guard's playful nature likely doesn't add any sort of fuel to a fire of some sort. That said, the Magic and Pacers do meet four times this season – twice in Orlando (10/28. 11/13) and twice in Indianapolis (11/6, 4/11/25).

We'll see then if the Magic can land the finishing move and earn the last laugh over the Pacers' star and his reinforcements.

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