7 hours ago
3
Jamal CollierMay 19, 2025, 02:37 PM ET
- Jamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota's iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email [email protected].
An Indiana Pacers fan who was pelted by bags of garbage and heckled for donning a Tyrese Haliburton jersey on the streets of New York City has been invited by the Pacers star to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis.
Hans Perez appeared on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday afternoon and revealed he was a firefighter and a lifelong Pacers fan -- showing off a Pacers tattoo on his wrist -- before he was surprised by Haliburton with the good news.
"Everybody in our organization wants to make sure you're taken care of," Haliburton said on a video call from Indianapolis after the team practiced Monday. "All the team's excited to meet you. It's all we've been talking about."
Perez was followed on the streets by a large crowd of Knicks fans, who were celebrating after Friday's victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. After getting hit twice with bags of garbage, Perez continued to walk away as the crowd continued to follow him and heckle him in a clip that has gone viral on social media.
Both Haliburton and McAfee expressed sympathy for Perez's situation; Haliburton invited him, along with a guest, to Game 4 in Indiana next Tuesday.
"I'm pretty sure we can work something out," Perez said about getting the day off from work. He also thanked Haliburton and began a "Let's Go Pacers" chant.
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals between New York and Indiana begins Wednesday night in New York.
