Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton have quietly built a strong friendship over the years. Whether it’s Clark catching Pacers games with her boyfriend Connor McCaffery — a former Pacers assistant — or Haliburton and his girlfriend Jade Jones showing up to Indiana Fever home games, the support goes both ways.
Following the Fever’s gritty 81-76 win over the Atlanta Dream on May 22, Clark leaned on Haliburton for advice after what was a rough outing for the rookie star. Clark struggled to get going offensively, finishing with just 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting and, for the first time since her sophomore year at Iowa, failed to hit a single three-pointer.
After the game, she turned to Haliburton for some guidance. Speaking with NBA insider Ramona Shelburne, Clark shared what that conversation was like:
“So I was just leaning on him, ‘How can I get open? How do you manage, maybe not having to roll every possession in transition? Or having a little give-and-take with yourself?'”
“That’s something I’m trying to navigate. … He’s been through it. That’s just how we bounce ideas off of each other,” she added.
Despite Clark’s off night, veterans Natasha Howard (26 points) and Kelsey Mitchell (17 points) stepped up to carry the load. But that conversation with Haliburton clearly made an impact — Clark bounced back in her next game against the New York Liberty, posting 18 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds.
“This Is What Means the World to Them”: Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton Want to Stay in Indiana
Both Clark and Haliburton are the faces of their respective Indiana franchises — Haliburton leading the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance in 24 years, and Caitlin Clark emerging as the generational hope for the Fever.
In her conversation with Shelburne, Caitlin Clark revealed that both she and Haliburton see Indiana as more than just a stop on their basketball journey.
“Ty and I would both tell you this is where we both hope to stay the rest of our careers,” Clark said. “People are like, ‘It’s a small market.’ But no, that’s what makes it fun. These people, this is what means the world to them.”
While the bright lights of L.A. or New York might call to some, Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton are all-in on building something special in Indiana — a true basketball state through and through.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
