Tyrese Haliburton’s return to basketball feels like a WWE comeback. The Indiana Pacers star paid tribute to WWE CCO Triple H ahead of his first game back after suffering a serious Achilles injury. He recreated the iconic look The Game wore during his famous 2002 return to RAW.

The Pacers opened their NBA season against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. The game marked Haliburton’s return after he missed time with a torn Achilles. He suffered the injury during the first quarter of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Triple H reacts to Tyrese Haliburton’s WWE-inspired outfit

Ahead of the Pacers’ home opener, the team shared photos and videos of Haliburton arriving at the arena. Wrestling fans quickly recognized his outfit, as the NBA star wore the same leather-and-denim jacket combination Triple H wore during his WWE return in 2002.

Triple H returned to Monday Night RAW at Madison Square Garden after spending nearly a year away from the ring because of a serious quadriceps injury. His comeback received a huge reaction from the crowd and remains one of the most memorable returns in WWE history.

Haliburton’s outfit was a clear tribute to that moment. By recreating Triple H’s look, he connected his own recovery with the comeback of a wrestling legend he has admired for years.

Triple H also noticed the tribute and responded to the posts. He wrote, “Game: Start.” He also referenced his iconic sledgehammer with a hammer-and-pick emoji.

Haliburton’s tribute went beyond his outfit. The Pacers star also shared a hype video on X, narrated by Triple H himself.

The video opens with highlights of Haliburton’s performances before showing the moment his NBA Finals run ended because of his Achilles injury. It then follows his recovery, with clips of him at the doctor’s office, training in the gym, and slowly working his way back onto the basketball court.

“The brighter the lights. The higher the stakes. The more he shined,” Triple H says in the video, highlighting Haliburton’s role in Indiana’s run to the NBA Finals.

The narration then focuses on the challenges that followed his injury.

“The injury changed him. Just not the way they hoped. The doubters are back. Unfortunately for him, so is he. Zero doubt,” The Game concludes.

Triple H’s delivery made the video feel like a WWE comeback package.