Haliburton revealed in an interview with ESPN some details about his relationship with the fellow Indiana basketball star. “We’re talking

Tyrese Haliburton says that he and Caitlin Clark are in a group chat with their partners.

 

Haliburton revealed in an interview with ESPN some details about his relationship with the fellow Indiana basketball star. “We’re talking 24/7,” claimed Haliburton. “The four of us hang out all the time.”

 

The Indiana Pacers star also spoke about the pressures that the Indiana Fever star goes through. “She goes through a lot, as you know,” he said. “There’s a lot of weight and eyes on her. Obviously, there is on me as well, but hers are amplified times a million.”

 

Haliburton and Clark have shown that they’re very good friends. The two Indiana basketball stars have cheered each other on at their games over the last year. Most recently, Clark was seen at a Pacers’ game during the NBA Finals.

 

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## **Beyond the Game: Tyrese Haliburton and Caitlin Clark’s Friendship Is Lifting Indiana Basketball to a New Era**

 

### **“We’re Talking 24/7”: Inside the Group Chat, Bond, and Mutual Support of Indiana’s Brightest Stars**

There are moments in sports when two forces rise simultaneously — not by design, but by fate — and shift the culture of a city. For the state of Indiana, long known as the heartland of basketball, that moment is now. And it’s unfolding through the eyes of two rising icons: **Tyrese Haliburton** and **Caitlin Clark**.

One leads the Indiana Pacers. The other headlines the Indiana Fever.

And together — along with their partners — they’ve formed more than just a mutual appreciation society. They’ve built a **friendship**, a **group chat**, and a quietly powerful alliance that’s already reshaping the public image of basketball in the Hoosier State.

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### **The Reveal: A Group Chat and a Bond**

In a recent interview with **ESPN**, Haliburton casually dropped a detail that instantly caught fans’ attention.

> “We’re talking 24/7,” he said. “The four of us hang out all the time.”

By “the four of us,” Haliburton was referring to himself, his partner **Jade Jones**, Caitlin Clark, and Clark’s boyfriend **Connor McCaffery**. A social foursome that has — quietly but authentically — become one of the most influential young power circles in sports.

The revelation of a group chat may seem simple. But for fans in Indiana — and basketball lovers everywhere — it offered a glimpse into the **personal dynamics behind the professional excellence**.

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### **From Des Moines to Downtown Indy: Two Journeys Converge**

While Tyrese Haliburton and Caitlin Clark have distinctly different basketball journeys, their paths have become more intertwined with every passing month.

* **Haliburton**, drafted 12th overall in 2020, has blossomed into the face of the Pacers franchise. A floor general with elite court vision and a growing leadership voice, he signed a \$260 million contract extension in 2023, anchoring the Pacers for years to come.

* **Clark**, arguably the most electric college basketball player in decades, was drafted No. 1 overall in 2024. She arrived in Indianapolis amid record-breaking fanfare — jersey sales, sellout crowds, and a national spotlight that has rarely left her side.

Now, they’re **the twin suns of Indiana basketball** — leading two separate teams, but sharing the same court of public opinion.

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### **The Pressure of Stardom — Multiplied**

In his ESPN interview, Haliburton spoke candidly about what Clark has had to endure in her rookie year.

> “She goes through a lot, as you know. There’s a lot of weight and eyes on her,” he said. “Obviously, there is on me as well, but hers are amplified times a million.”

It’s a striking admission. Haliburton, himself a top-tier NBA All-Star and face of a billion-dollar franchise, acknowledges that Clark’s visibility — and the pressure that comes with it — exceeds his own.

Clark’s every move is scrutinized. Every turnover dissected. Every celebration debated.

And Haliburton sees it — not as a competition, but as an opportunity to support.

> “She’s navigating a lot. And she’s doing it with grace,” he said. “People don’t realize how much noise there is when you’re that big that fast. I have nothing but respect for how she’s handled it.”

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### **From Fans to Friends**

Their friendship began in the most natural of ways: mutual admiration.

* Clark was seen **courtside during the Pacers’ NBA Finals run**, cheering Haliburton on with visible joy.
* Haliburton has been spotted **at Fever games**, clapping, standing, and even talking strategy during warmups.

But it’s what happens behind the scenes that shows just how deep the bond runs.

Dinner nights. Group texts. Shared insights. Inside jokes.

They’re not just co-stars of Indiana basketball — they’re becoming a genuine support system for one another.

> “We laugh a lot,” Haliburton said. “Sometimes, we just send each other memes. Sometimes, it’s deep — talking about how to handle media stuff, or mental health, or just decompressing after a crazy game.”

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### **Shared Spotlight, Shared Purpose**

Both Haliburton and Clark have faced extraordinary expectations from the moment they arrived in Indianapolis.

* Haliburton was **tasked with revitalizing a once-proud franchise**, one that hadn’t seen Finals success since the Reggie Miller era.
* Clark was **expected to elevate an entire league**, carry the Fever back into playoff contention, and serve as the face of women’s basketball all at once.

But they haven’t just carried the weight — they’ve lifted each other through it.

> “It helps that we understand what the other is going through,” Clark said in a separate interview. “Tyrese is someone I trust. He gets it.”

In a sports culture often fueled by ego, their friendship offers a refreshing **model of empathy**. It’s not about who sells more jerseys. It’s about who keeps you grounded when the world won’t let you breathe.

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### **Hoosier Icons in the Making**

What’s happening now in Indiana is rare.

It’s not every day that one state gets two generational stars at the same time — both young, both charismatic, both leaders in their respective leagues. But that’s what Indiana has in Haliburton and Clark.

And the state is responding.

* **Fever home games** have seen record attendance.
* **Pacers playoff runs** have electrified the city.
* Merch, ticket sales, and social engagement are at all-time highs.

But more than numbers, it’s the **cultural shift** that’s tangible. Kids — boys and girls — are now growing up with **two role models who support each other openly, without reservation**.

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### **Partners Who Understand the Journey**

The presence of their partners — Jade Jones and Connor McCaffery — adds another layer to the story.

* Jade, a former college athlete herself, understands the pressures Tyrese faces.
* Connor, once Clark’s Iowa teammate and now part of the Pacers’ operations staff, is uniquely positioned in both basketball worlds.

The foursome isn’t a marketing ploy. It’s **real friendship, rooted in shared experience** — as athletes, as partners, and as young adults navigating public life.

And yes, according to Haliburton, the group chat is **active 24/7**.

> “We’ve got jokes. We’ve got arguments. We’ve got movie debates. It’s like family,” he smiled.

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### **Crossover Culture: Breaking Silos in Sports**

Traditionally, the NBA and WNBA operate in separate spheres — with different audiences, media ecosystems, and cultural treatment. But the Haliburton-Clark dynamic is helping **bridge that gap**.

When Haliburton cheers for Clark, he’s **not just being supportive** — he’s normalizing cross-league admiration.

When Clark wears Pacers gear to a Fever presser, she’s **not just being friendly** — she’s reshaping the image of unity between men’s and women’s sports.

And when the two post about each other — whether on Instagram stories or in interviews — the message is clear:

> **This is not competition. This is community.**

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### **Shared Wisdom, Shared Growth**

Both Clark and Haliburton are still learning — as leaders, as pros, as public figures. But they are learning together.

They talk strategy. They talk recovery. They share therapist recommendations. They dissect media coverage. They trade notes on what it’s like to be the center of a city’s hope.

And they know: they don’t have to figure it out alone.

> “There’s this myth that being great means doing it all yourself,” Haliburton said. “But the truth is, no one makes it without community.”

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### **The Future of Indiana Basketball — United**

As the Pacers build around Haliburton and the Fever mold their identity through Clark, the state of Indiana is experiencing a renaissance — one led by **collaboration over competition**, **kindness over ego**, and **connection over clout**.

The fans are catching on.

So are the kids in gyms across the Midwest.

And in an age when sports can often feel performative, the friendship between Haliburton and Clark offers something **genuinely authentic**: real people, doing big things, while rooting for each other.

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### **Final Thoughts: This Is Bigger Than Basketball**

For all the accolades — the assists, the points, the triple-doubles — what may define Haliburton and Clark most is not just their **performance**, but their **presence**.

They are present in each other’s lives. Present in the city’s community efforts. Present in the minds of young fans who now believe that **teamwork doesn’t stop at the buzzer**.

Yes, Indiana has found its stars.

But more than that, it has found its **standard** — one built not just on winning, but on **uplifting**.

And if that group chat is any indication, we’re only seeing the beginning.