New York firefighter and
die-hard Indiana Pacers fan Hans Perez had an eventful night when star player of Game 4,
Tyrese Haliburton, invited him to the locker room and
signed a Pacers jersey after the team secured a glorious win over the New York Knicks. The fan had a rather disheartening experience outside Madison Square Garden when a group of Knicks fans threw a trash bag at Perez for wearing the Pacers jersey.
Tyrese Haliburton tracks down Hans Perez, a fan bullied by a group of Knicks supporters outside Madison Square Garden
On May 17, 2025, the New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 6 to enter the Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. The last time the Knicks qualified for the conference finals was in 2000. Watching their favorite team qualify after such a long hiatus was a much-needed celebratory moment for the fans. However, the celebration took a rather ugly turn when a group of Knicks fans threw a trash bag at Hans Perez, a New York-based firefighter and die-hard Pacers fan, for wearing a Pacer jersey and walking in front of Madison Square Garden
Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, after watching the viral video, tracked down the fan and got him invited to the Pat McAfee show and later on, offered to fly Perez out to Indianapolis to watch Game 4. Haliburton’s act of goodwill did not end there, as the player, after securing the 3-1 lead post Game 4, invited Perez to the locker room and signed a Pacers jersey for the fan.
Haliburton’s act added to the stunning performance displayed in Game 4 and won the hearts of the fans once again. One of the fans wrote, “Haliburton's heartwarming gesture wins fans' hearts all over”
Another user wrote, “Haliburton is such a good dude. Hard not to be a fan.”
“This day was perfect. I can sleep well. Go Pacers.”
Also read:
Tyrese Haliburton creates history as he becomes the first player in NBA playoffs to score 30+ points with 0 turnoversThe act by Haliburton reflects on the fact that the player is not only a fan favorite inside the court but also wins hearts outside the court with his rather sweet gestures. The Pacers are now just a win away from stepping into the finals.
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