Two-time NBA All-Star and former Iowa State standout Tyrese Haliburton is set to return to his collegiate roots as the Indiana Pacers face the Minnesota Timberwolves in an exhibition game at Hilton Coliseum. Scheduled for Oct. 7 at 6 p.m., the contest marks the fourth time an NBA exhibition has been held at the venue and the first such event since 2018.
Haliburton, who is entering his seventh NBA season and fifth with the Pacers, has quickly ascended to the elite tier of professional guards. After
finishing third in the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year voting, he earned All-NBA Third Team honors in both 2024 and 2025. During the 2023-24 campaign, he led the league with 10.9 assists per game, eventually guiding Indiana to the NBA Finals in 2025 for just the second time in franchise history.
His recent success extends to the international stage, where he became the first former Iowa State basketball player to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games. While he is the eighth Cyclone overall to earn gold, his achievement remains a historic milestone for the university’s basketball program.
Before his professional rise, Haliburton was a dominant force for the Cyclones. During the 2019-20 season, he led the Big 12 in both assists (6.5) and steals (2.5) while averaging 15.2 points per game. Despite a season-ending injury after 22 games, he was named a Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award finalist and an All-Big 12 Second Team selection.
Previous exhibitions at Hilton have featured Cyclone legends such as Jeff Grayer, Jeff Hornacek and Fred Hoiberg.
Tickets for the Pacers-Timberwolves matchup will be available for purchase starting Sept. 9.
