Hans Perez, a lifelong Indiana Pacers fan and firefighter, was wearing a Tyrese Haliburton jersey when he became the target of aggressive heckling by a group of New York Knicks fans. The crowd pelted Perez with garbage bags and shouted abuse, creating a hostile environment as the Knicks prepared to face the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite the harassment, Perez remained calm throughout the ordeal. A video of the incident quickly went viral, sparking widespread condemnation of the behavior and shining a spotlight on the darker side of fan rivalry.

Haliburton’s Gesture

Tyrese Haliburton responded swiftly and thoughtfully. During a show, Haliburton personally invited Perez to attend Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Indiana. He promised to bring him and a plus-one over, emphasizing that the entire Pacers organization was eager to welcome Perez and show their appreciation.

 “I want to personally bring you and a plus-one out here to come to Game 4 here in Indiana. I’ll bring you guys out here, put you guys up, get you guys seats to the game,” Haliburton said. “The Pacers, everybody in our organization wants to make sure you’re taken care of. The whole team is excited to meet you, it’s all we’ve been talking about.”

Ben Stiller’s Praise

The gesture caught the attention of actor and noted Knicks superfan Ben Stiller, who took a break from his usual team loyalty to commend Haliburton’s class and humanity. Stiller wrote on X, “I appreciate this by Haliburton. No one should ever treat fans of any team like this. N.Y. is better than this. And this man is a firefighter.”

Stiller’s message served as a reminder that sportsmanship and respect should transcend team rivalries. Despite his Knicks fandom, Stiller applauded Haliburton’s gesture and called out the unacceptable behavior of the heckling crowd.