HALIBURTON VERSUS BRUNSON IS A WWE-NBA CROSSOVER

NBA.COM

This showdown feels like this generation’s version of Karl Malone vs. Dennis Rodman.

Both stars play the same position and have clashed countless times—whether it’s fighting for rebounds or simply getting under each other’s skin. Back in the late '90s, Malone teamed up with Diamond Dallas Page, while Rodman was perfectly at home in Hollywood Hulk Hogan’s nWo. Malone had the everyman appeal, while Rodman—ever the showman—fit right in with pro wrestling’s most notorious faction.

Statistically, Rodman ranks 23rd all-time in NBA rebounds, with multiple All-Defensive Team selections. Meanwhile, Malone—known primarily for his offense—is currently 7th on the all-time rebounding list. After falling short to Rodman’s Bulls in the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals, Malone sought revenge in a different arena: WCW’s 1998 Bash at the Beach. But once again, Rodman walked away the winner, thanks to some heel interference that cost Malone and DDP the main event.

Fast forward to 2025. The Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks are reigniting their classic rivalry. Who could forget Reggie Miller's infamous choke gesture toward Spike Lee? But this time, it’s not just basketball—it’s got a pro wrestling twist.

It all started on June 28, 2024, during a WWE event where Logan Paul faced off against LA Knight and then-babyface Santos Escobar. Tyrese Haliburton was ringside when Logan called for his brass knuckles. Haliburton handed them over—but not before testing them on the steel steps. That’s when Jalen Brunson appeared and confronted him, distracting Paul long enough for Knight to roll him up for the win.

After the match, Haliburton entered the ring with the knuckles, circling Knight alongside Logan Paul. Suddenly, Brunson came back—with a chair. It was a chaotic moment: the hard cam caught Haliburton rushing in late, and Brunson awkwardly threw the chair too far, accidentally hitting Knight which bounced off to his hand. Despite the tension, nothing physical went down between the NBA stars. The moment didn’t have the same mainstream exposure as Rodman-Malone, and it felt like a one-off.

But a few months later, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Haliburton and Brunson are now leading their teams in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, battling for a ticket to the NBA Finals.

Both guards were second-tier draft picks who blossomed after changing teams. Haliburton shined early in Sacramento but became a full-fledged star in Indiana. Brunson, after a botched contract extension with Dallas, became the face of the Knicks. Both have a flair for the dramatic—Brunson even earned the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year honors, while Haliburton has delivered his own share of game-winners.

To get here, the Pacers beat the former champion Milwaukee Bucks, then took down the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks, meanwhile, edged past an upstart Detroit squad before ousting the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics.

For New York, this could mean their first NBA title in 52 years. For Indiana, it’s a chance at their first championship since joining the NBA in the 1976 merger.

I don’t have a rooting interest in this one—but I can’t wait to watch Haliburton and Brunson go to war.

It’s basketball.

It’s wrestling.

It’s drama.

It’s cinema.