The Indiana Pacers point guard is a creature of habit on game days, and he's not changing for the NBA Finals.
Tyrese Haliburton Eats the Same Meal Before Every Game
Published on Jun. 06, 2025
Elite athletes are notoriously superstitious. Serena Williams ties her shoelaces in the exact same order before every match. Michael Jordan always wore his University of North Carolina shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform. These habits often extend to what star athletes eat before big games.
The NBA Finals are underway, with the Indiana Pacers taking the first game of the series from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even before the game rolled around, we already knew what was going to be on the game-day menu for the Pacers star point and shooting guard Tyrese Haliburton that day—and every game day of the finals. That’s because Tyrese is known for eating the same exact thing before every game.
What does Tyrese Haliburton eat before every game?
In an interview with GQ, Tyrese revealed details about his game-day rituals, including what he eats before games. It turns out the lunch menu never changes.
It’s always “chicken, rice, and bread with a green juice,” Tyrese told GQ.
That balanced lunch—filling, but not too heavy—is part of Tyrese’s established game-day routine that also includes taking his dog for a morning walk and playing some video games or watching TV to relax, according to the two-time NBA All-Star.
After every game, food is also top of mind. Tyrese calls himself a “pasta head,” so he usually will carb load with some pasta to refuel as he winds down from the day’s action. He also typically enjoys cherry juice—he’s an investor in Cheribundi juice—after his post-game massage, as he credits the juice with helping to alleviate his aches and pains.
As for the days when he’s off-duty, Tyrese enjoys a mix of comforting dishes, and the menu is far less regimented. He told GQ he likes “a big plate of French toast, eggs, and bacon” for breakfast. For lunch, he’ll nosh on a sandwich, like a grilled cheese, and tomato soup.
For dinner, you’ll typically catch Tyrese eating some pasta with a Caesar salad and bread, though he’s also a big fan of spicy tuna crispy rice, according to an interview with the Pacers’ YouTube channel. He also takes each meal with a smoothie.
Now that we know pasta is central to the NBA star-approved dinner menu, we know what we’ll be cooking to fuel up for the rest of our Finals cheering!
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