The Indiana Pacers are heading into the offseason without a draft pick, but Tyrese Haliburton isn’t done making plays in Indianapolis yet. The All-Star guard turned a routine WNBA game between the Fever and Mercury into a viral moment Monday night — and all it took was a floor mop and some quick thinking.
Just under two minutes into the first quarter, the ball got wedged behind the backboard. Players from both teams tried to knock it loose. No luck. That’s when Haliburton, sitting courtside near the Fever bench, stood up, grabbed the mop from a ball boy, and calmly poked the ball free. The crowd cheered. The internet did its thing.
Haliburton saving the day with a mop was the highlight of the opening period for the Fever, honestly. They trailed 19-6 after the first quarter against Phoenix. But things turned around fast. Indiana outscored the Mercury 35-22 in the second, then opened the third with a 27-9 run to build a 66-50 lead. Caitlin Clark finished with 18 points. Kelsey Mitchell added 17. For Phoenix, only Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas hit double figures.
As for Haliburton’s actual team, the Pacers don’t pick in Tuesday’s NBA Draft. Their first-rounder was traded to the Clippers with top-four protection, and it landed at No. 5 in the lottery. So Indiana’s big offseason moves are already set: Haliburton returns healthy, and Ivica Zubac slots in as the starting center next season.
But for one night, the biggest play in Indianapolis came from a guy in street clothes with a mop.
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