Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is missing the entire 2025-26 season after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The two-time All-Star averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists in 2024-25 before the injury setback shut him down.
He is reportedly expected to return at the start of the 2026–27 season. For now, the former first-round pick is using his recovery time to rest, rehab and enjoy some home-baked cookies from his friend, Connor McCaffery. Surprisingly, Haliburton’s fiancée recently confirmed that McCaffery can bake crunchy cookies.
Just to recap, Haliburton officially proposed to longtime girlfriend Jade Jones in July at Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum. It was the exact place where the lovebirds met first and started dating in 2019.
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However, Jones recently shared an Instagram story that showed off McCaffery’s baking chops. The assistant coach of Butler University men’s basketball team is dating WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark and used to work with Haliburton when he was on the Pacers staff. McCaffery and Clark reportedly started dating in April 2023 after meeting at the University of Iowa, where they both played basketball.
The IG story, however, featured fresh-baked, golden-brown cookies loaded with chocolate chips on parchment paper, and Haliburton’s future wife confirmed that Clark’s boyfriend made them all.
McCaffery served as Basketball Development Coordinator for the Pacers during the 2023-24 season. That’s when the bonds formed between the couples. Plus, both relationships have Iowa roots as Haliburton played at Iowa State, and Jones cheered for the Cyclones.
Fans who already know about their off-court chemistry can relate to the baking story more precisely.
Related: Indiana Fever Announce Preseason Schedule for Caitlin Clark’s Third Season