Sports
Tyrese Haliburton - English
WNBA - English
While Tyrese Haliburton and Caitlin Clark dominate the hardwood in their respective leagues, a quieter connection is playing out off the court, one that links their partners, Jade Jones and Connor McCaffery, in a tightly woven group that reflects Indiana’s basketball boom.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Haliburton’s inner circle includes a highly active four-person group chat that rarely goes silent, even in the thick of the NBA Finals.
That group features Haliburton, his longtime girlfriend Jade Jones, Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, and Clark’s boyfriend, Connor McCaffery.
“At this point in the postseason, very few people get through to Haliburton on his cell, much less get a response,” Shelburne wrote. “But there’s one group chat that’s always active… Haliburton wasn’t about to miss all the chatter on this night.”
The friendships behind the scenes are a testament to how basketball-both men’s and women’s-has united Indiana’s most watched athletes and their closest confidants.
College Rivalry Gave Way to Connection
Both Jones and Haliburton attended Iowa State, a school with deep athletic rivalries against the University of Iowa, where Clark became a household name.
Jones, who is from Iowa, quickly became a fan of Clark‘s record-breaking college career, even while dating an avowed Iowa State loyalist.
“As the season went on and it was clear the Fever would have a good chance at landing Clark with the No.1 pick, Haliburton finally relented,” Shelburne noted.
It took some convincing, but once Clark landed in Indiana, Haliburton embraced the connection. His friendship with McCaffery, a former Pacers staffer and current Butler assistant coach, helped pave the way.
“Me and Connor would talk all the time about (Clark’s) journey,” Haliburton said. “But I refused to cheer for Caitlin until she got out of college because I’m not cheering for Iowa.”
Despite the lighthearted resistance, the four quickly became close, often seen supporting each other publicly.
In November 2024, Clark, Jones, and Haliburton were spotted together at a Butler basketball game-where McCaffery now coaches-highlighting the group’s growing bond.
A Friendship that Mirrors Indiana’s Basketball Rise
Clark‘s presence has been a lucky charm for the Pacers. Indiana is 8-0 at home this postseason when she attends games. Meanwhile, Haliburton continues to deliver clutch performances during the team’s title push.
Jones, ever the supportive partner, marked the Pacers‘ Game 3 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder with a celebratory Instagram story featuring the Larry O’Brien Trophy and the caption: “Two down two to go.”
Clark and Jones have also been seen together outside of the arena, reinforcing the notion that their friendship is more than a media curiosity.
As the Fever and Pacers share not just a home court but a shared vision for basketball success in Indiana, the people behind the players are becoming part of the story.
With Haliburton and Clark both rising to national stardom, their off-court support systems-including a surprisingly wholesome group chat-may be just as instrumental as their stat lines.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Phillip Rivers unretires?! + Do the Eagles have a Jalen Hurts problem after MNF collapse? (ft. Zach Berman)
Subscribe to Inside CoverageCould 44-year-old Philip Rivers help the ailing Colts? Yahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano, Charles Robinson, and Frank Schwab break down that scenario as well as the MNF matchup that saw the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Later, Andrew sits down with The Athletic's Eagles reporter, Zach Berman, to talk all things Philly and Jalen Hurts. Finally, the crew looks at what teams could make it into the playoffs according to Frank's projections before giving their “One More Thing.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement(0:36) - Philip Rivers signs to Colts' practice squad(19:48) - Chargers beat Eagles on MNF(33:51) - Zach Berman joins the show!(47:57) - Frank's Week 14 Playoff Projections(1:03:18) - One More ThingCould 44-year-old Philip Rivers help the ailing Indianapolis Colts? (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTubeCheck out the rest of […]
Honor Huff drills 8 3-pointers as West Virginia blasts Little Rock
Dec 3, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) shoots a three pointer during the second half against the Coppin State Eagles at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images Honor Huff scored a game-high 24 points as West Virginia rolled to a 90-58 win over Little Rock on Tuesday in Morgantown, W. Va. Huff connected on 8 of 11 3-point attempts for the Mountaineers (8-3). Treysen Eaglestaff tallied 23 points as he shot 8 of 14 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Chance Moore came off the bench to chip in 12 points and six rebounds. Cameron Wallace came off the bench to lead Little Rock (2-8) with 23 points and nine rebounds. Johnathan Lawson added 11 points for the Trojans, who have lost six straight games. The Mountaineers had their […]
No. 24 Virginia uses early 3-point barrage to bury UMES
Nov 28, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom holds the ball on the sidelines against the Queens University of Charlotte Royals during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Sam Lewis scored 15 points and contributed to a long-distance barrage as No. 24 Virginia rolled to an 84-60 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Tuesday in Charlottesville, Va. Chance Mallory delivered 10 points, five assists and six steals as the Cavaliers (9-1) won a day after crashing the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since February 2024. Thijs De Ridder provided 13 points and six rebounds for Virginia, which used its 3-point marksmanship to surge to a 23-point lead in the first half. In six home games, the Cavaliers have yet to trail at any point this season. […]
No. 4 Iowa State brimming with confidence ahead of Iowa game
Dec 6, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images Fresh off one of the biggest upsets of all time, No. 4 Iowa State hosts its biggest rival on Thursday when Iowa visits Ames. The Cyclones (9-0) rolled to an 81-58 win at then-No. 1 Purdue on Saturday. The 23-point margin matched the worst home loss for a No. 1 team in AP Poll history. In shooting 54.1% from the field, Iowa State handed the Boilermakers their first nonconference home loss since 2019. The Cyclones drilled 11 3-pointers and shot 47.8% from beyond the arc. Milan Momcilovic racked up 20 points. It's the kind of win that had the 6-foot-8 junior forward brimming with confidence as he […]
Robert Wright drains wild buzzer-beater to complete comeback, lift No. 10 BYU past Clemson
Robert Wright completed a massive comeback on Tuesday night with an incredible buzzer-beater at Madison Square Garden.The Cougars guard drained a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired to lift No. 10 BYU to a wild 67-64 win over Clemson in the Jimmy V Classic. That capped a 22-point comeback in the second half to avoid what would have been a significant upset loss for the Cougars as they wrap up their non-conference slate.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter entering the locker room down by 21 points — BYU’s last made bucket in the first half came on a made 3-pointer from Wright with 6:59 left in the period — the Cougars slowly started chipping away at that deficit. They took the lead again late in the second half on a Keba Keita dunk, but Dillon Hunter made a layup with just five seconds left to tie […]
Big 12 commish Brett Yormark calls Notre Dame AD’s remarks ‘egregious’
Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark in attendance of the Arizona State Sun Devils game against the Arizona Wildcats during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark said Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua was "totally out of bounds" for how he's gone about criticizing the Atlantic Coast Conference this week. Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member of the conference in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed the ACC damaged Notre Dame's chances at making the College Football Playoff as an at-large with how it campaigned for Miami's inclusion. Miami was the last at-large selected -- with the committee reasoning that the Hurricanes' head-to-head win over the Irish only mattered once they were […]
Related
Phillip Rivers unretires?! + Do the Eagles have a Jalen Hurts problem after MNF collapse? (ft. Zach Berman)
Subscribe to Inside CoverageCould 44-year-old Philip Rivers help the ailing Colts? Yahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano, Charles Robinson, and Frank Schwab break down that scenario as well as the MNF matchup that saw the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Later, Andrew sits down with The Athletic's Eagles reporter, Zach Berman, to talk all things Philly and Jalen Hurts. Finally, the crew looks at what teams could make it into the playoffs according to Frank's projections before giving their “One More Thing.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement(0:36) - Philip Rivers signs to Colts' practice squad(19:48) - Chargers beat Eagles on MNF(33:51) - Zach Berman joins the show!(47:57) - Frank's Week 14 Playoff Projections(1:03:18) - One More ThingCould 44-year-old Philip Rivers help the ailing Indianapolis Colts? (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTubeCheck out the rest of […]
Honor Huff drills 8 3-pointers as West Virginia blasts Little Rock
Dec 3, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) shoots a three pointer during the second half against the Coppin State Eagles at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images Honor Huff scored a game-high 24 points as West Virginia rolled to a 90-58 win over Little Rock on Tuesday in Morgantown, W. Va. Huff connected on 8 of 11 3-point attempts for the Mountaineers (8-3). Treysen Eaglestaff tallied 23 points as he shot 8 of 14 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Chance Moore came off the bench to chip in 12 points and six rebounds. Cameron Wallace came off the bench to lead Little Rock (2-8) with 23 points and nine rebounds. Johnathan Lawson added 11 points for the Trojans, who have lost six straight games. The Mountaineers had their […]
No. 24 Virginia uses early 3-point barrage to bury UMES
Nov 28, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom holds the ball on the sidelines against the Queens University of Charlotte Royals during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Sam Lewis scored 15 points and contributed to a long-distance barrage as No. 24 Virginia rolled to an 84-60 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Tuesday in Charlottesville, Va. Chance Mallory delivered 10 points, five assists and six steals as the Cavaliers (9-1) won a day after crashing the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since February 2024. Thijs De Ridder provided 13 points and six rebounds for Virginia, which used its 3-point marksmanship to surge to a 23-point lead in the first half. In six home games, the Cavaliers have yet to trail at any point this season. […]
No. 4 Iowa State brimming with confidence ahead of Iowa game
Dec 6, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images Fresh off one of the biggest upsets of all time, No. 4 Iowa State hosts its biggest rival on Thursday when Iowa visits Ames. The Cyclones (9-0) rolled to an 81-58 win at then-No. 1 Purdue on Saturday. The 23-point margin matched the worst home loss for a No. 1 team in AP Poll history. In shooting 54.1% from the field, Iowa State handed the Boilermakers their first nonconference home loss since 2019. The Cyclones drilled 11 3-pointers and shot 47.8% from beyond the arc. Milan Momcilovic racked up 20 points. It's the kind of win that had the 6-foot-8 junior forward brimming with confidence as he […]
Robert Wright drains wild buzzer-beater to complete comeback, lift No. 10 BYU past Clemson
Robert Wright completed a massive comeback on Tuesday night with an incredible buzzer-beater at Madison Square Garden.The Cougars guard drained a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired to lift No. 10 BYU to a wild 67-64 win over Clemson in the Jimmy V Classic. That capped a 22-point comeback in the second half to avoid what would have been a significant upset loss for the Cougars as they wrap up their non-conference slate.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter entering the locker room down by 21 points — BYU’s last made bucket in the first half came on a made 3-pointer from Wright with 6:59 left in the period — the Cougars slowly started chipping away at that deficit. They took the lead again late in the second half on a Keba Keita dunk, but Dillon Hunter made a layup with just five seconds left to tie […]
Big 12 commish Brett Yormark calls Notre Dame AD’s remarks ‘egregious’
Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark in attendance of the Arizona State Sun Devils game against the Arizona Wildcats during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark said Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua was "totally out of bounds" for how he's gone about criticizing the Atlantic Coast Conference this week. Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member of the conference in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed the ACC damaged Notre Dame's chances at making the College Football Playoff as an at-large with how it campaigned for Miami's inclusion. Miami was the last at-large selected -- with the committee reasoning that the Hurricanes' head-to-head win over the Irish only mattered once they were […]
Be the first to leave a comment