National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Tyrese Haliburton made an unexpected impact at WWE SummerSlam 2025, when his crutch became a weapon during the brutal Street Fight between John Cena and Cody Rhodes. The Indiana Pacers guard, still recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, appeared at ringside in a walking boot, drawing a mixed reaction from the crowd.
As the match reached its chaotic peak, Cena turned to Haliburton at ringside, seized one of his crutches, and wielded it as a makeshift weapon against Rhodes. The moment, shocking and strangely hilarious, instantly went viral—proving that in WWE, even an injured NBA star’s medical gear isn’t safe from storyline chaos.
From Hardwood to Headline Moment
Haliburton, who underwent surgery in June, was expected to spend the 2025–26 NBA season in rehab. But his surprise appearance at MetLife Stadium added a new twist to his offseason. The crowd, largely pro-Knicks, booed him loudly, referencing his role in back-to-back playoff eliminations of New York. Rather than shrink under the noise, Haliburton embraced it, grinning and even encouraging the jeers.
Hoops Star Turns Ringside Sensation
While his on-court presence is missed, Haliburton is staying relevant in unexpected ways. His SummerSlam cameo blurred the lines between the NBA and WWE, drawing the attention of both fanbases. Social media lit up with reactions to the “weaponized crutch,” and Haliburton’s moment quickly became one of the night’s most talked-about highlights.
Where Sports Collide and Spectacle Reigns
The Cena vs. Rhodes Street Fight was already billed as a marquee clash—but Haliburton’s involvement gave it a twist no one saw coming. As WWE leans further into celebrity crossovers, this moment served as a reminder: in today’s sports-entertainment world, everyone’s a potential storyline, even a sidelined NBA star on crutches.
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