John Haliburton, the father of Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, said he stepped onto the court and spoke with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo after getting caught up in the excitement of Indiana's series-clinching win Tuesday.
"It was in the moment," Haliburton told Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. "It was in that dad proud moment. You know what I mean? And I just reacted because my son, he just did something very incredible, and I just jumped. ... Am I sorry for being proud of my son? No. No. I'm not going to tell you that because I'd be lying. But I was wrong for going on the basketball court because I shouldn't have ever done that."
After the final horn, the elder Haliburton walked onto the court waving a towel featuring his son's image. He turned to show it to Antetokounmpo and appeared to exchange words with the two-time MVP before Bucks guard Pat Connaughton intervened. The pair then had another brief interaction before being separated again.
Haliburton shared his side of the encounter, saying there was no hostile intent on his end.
"He came and he put his head on my head and we held hands and he said to me, 'Don't you ever disrespect me like that again,'" Haliburton said. "I said. 'It was not my intention to disrespect you. I love you.' And if you watch the video, he said the same thing, 'I love you.' We gave the thumbs up, and he walked away. That was it."
Haliburton also disputed Antetokounmpo's postgame comments that he cursed at him.
"Everybody who knows me knows that I don't swear. I can't stand it," Haliburton said. "It's on record that I say things to my son when he swears on the basketball court because kids are watching him. I don't do that. I don't believe in it."
Haliburton apologized on social media shortly after the incident.
The Pacers face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday.
