Cody Rhodes has offered more insight into his relationship with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, describing the NBA guard as someone who feels like part of the WWE family while also revealing a specific condition attached to a collection of shoes Haliburton gave him.
Haliburton has become a familiar face to WWE viewers through his appearances on company programming and his outspoken enthusiasm for professional wrestling. His connection to Rhodes has been especially visible, including his involvement around John Cena and Cody Rhodes at last year’s SummerSlam, where he supplied weapons for their match environment. Now, Rhodes has shared a lighter side of that relationship: Haliburton wanted to make sure his footwear was associated only with victory and dominance.
During an appearance on Sneaker Shopping, Rhodes discussed the shoes Haliburton had given him and the one instruction that came with them. The WWE star said the rule was simple: if he was wearing Haliburton’s shoes on television, he needed to be the one standing tall.
“The Haliburton’s, he’s just… I feel like part of the WWE family, and you don’t always think about the pre-existing heat that’s between teams, and you don’t think about even where you are when you might be wearing them. But he loaded me up, but he had one rule. His rule with those shoes, if I’m wearing them, I need to be on top. I need to be beating somebody up. Can’t go out there and just take a back bump and be laying there. That’s a W-only shoe. But you got to appreciate when somebody puts their name on something. And puts it out there because that’s not an easy thing.”
For more background on this topic, read Cody Rhodes Says There Was ‘Never Any Heat’ With Travis Scott, Hopes WWE Collaboration Continues.
A Winning-Only Standard
The condition says plenty about both Haliburton’s competitive nature and the way athletes from outside wrestling can understand the visual language of WWE. In-ring gear is not merely apparel. For a WWE performer, it can reinforce a character, mark a special occasion, pay tribute to a personal connection, or become part of the story being told in front of the audience.
Haliburton’s instruction was not simply that Rhodes should wear the shoes. He wanted the moment to project strength. Rhodes could not be shown flat on his back after taking a bump. He had to be “on top,” either literally in a position of control or figuratively as the competitor leaving the scene with momentum. As Rhodes put it, the sneakers were “a W-only shoe.”
That distinction fits particularly well with the presentation of Rhodes as one of WWE’s leading stars. His on-screen image has long centered on persistence, high-profile matches, and the pursuit of major accomplishments. A pair of shoes tied to an NBA All-Star’s personal brand would naturally carry more impact in a segment or match where Rhodes is fighting from a position of confidence rather than being left down after an opponent’s attack.
Rhodes also acknowledged that wearing shoes associated with Haliburton can create interesting circumstances depending on the city and the sports rivalries surrounding an event. WWE travels constantly, bringing its talent to arenas filled with fans whose allegiances extend far beyond wrestling. Basketball loyalties can be intense, and an Indiana Pacers-associated look may be received differently in some markets than in others.
Still, Rhodes’ comments made clear that he values the gesture. He noted that Haliburton “loaded me up,” indicating that the wrestler received a significant supply of footwear. More importantly, Rhodes praised the willingness of someone to attach his own name to a product and put it into the public eye, recognizing the pressure that comes with representing a brand.
Haliburton’s Continued WWE Connection
Haliburton’s interest in WWE has not been limited to casual fandom from a distance. He has appeared on screen and has been involved in segments, helping establish him as one of the more recognizable current NBA personalities in WWE circles. Celebrity involvement is nothing new for the company, but recurring engagement can create a different kind of connection than a single promotional appearance.
For fans, the appeal is often in seeing an athlete who genuinely understands the entertainment value and traditions of wrestling. Haliburton’s request about the shoes shows an awareness that a WWE appearance is built around a larger visual story. In his view, the shoes should not be associated with a loss, vulnerability, or a dramatic closing shot of Rhodes laid out in the ring. They should be tied to the image of a winner.
That mindset is unsurprising from a player who performs in a results-driven sport, but it also aligns with a common idea in wrestling presentation. Attire can become memorable because of when and how it is worn. Fans remember the gear, the entrance jackets, the colors, and the personal details that accompany championship celebrations, decisive victories, and defining moments. Haliburton’s rule was effectively an attempt to ensure that his sneakers would enter that kind of memory.
His previous role as a weapons provider in the John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes situation at SummerSlam demonstrated a willingness to take part in WWE’s heightened atmosphere. That type of involvement is far removed from the normal environment of an NBA game, but it is exactly the kind of crossover moment that can resonate with viewers who follow both sports.
Rhodes Appreciates The Personal Meaning
Rhodes’ response was notable because he did not frame the shoes as just another celebrity gift. Instead, he focused on what it means for Haliburton to put his name behind something and to care about how it is displayed. There is an element of responsibility in that, particularly when a performer wearing the product is routinely seen in front of large live crowds and a national television audience.
“But you got to appreciate when somebody puts their name on something,” Rhodes said. “And puts it out there because that’s not an easy thing.”
That appreciation reflects the overlap between sports branding and WWE’s performance-driven world. Wrestlers routinely turn their names, symbols, slogans, and fashion choices into extensions of their identities. Athletes do the same with signature footwear and other products. When those worlds meet, the details matter, including whether an item appears in a triumphant moment or during an opponent’s beatdown.
For Rhodes, honoring Haliburton’s request would mean being selective about when those sneakers make it to WWE programming. It is not a rule that can dictate the outcome of a match or segment, but it establishes a playful standard between the two: the shoes are for a night when Rhodes is in control, throwing the offense, and leaving viewers with the image Haliburton wants attached to his name.
Celebrity Relationships Remain Part Of WWE’s Reach
WWE’s relationships with athletes, musicians, and other public figures have long helped the company reach audiences outside its core fan base. The strongest of those connections tend to work because they feel natural rather than purely promotional. Rhodes characterizing Haliburton as part of the WWE family suggests the relationship has developed beyond a quick cameo.
It also gives fans a small but revealing look at how crossover personalities view their involvement. Haliburton was not merely interested in having Rhodes wear his shoes; he was invested in the context. He wanted the product to be seen while Rhodes was winning. That is a concise, competitive request, and one that Rhodes clearly found entertaining as well as understandable.
Elsewhere in the same conversation, Rhodes also discussed Travis Scott and expressed interest in seeing the music star work with WWE again. Taken together, the remarks underline Rhodes’ awareness of WWE’s broad cultural connections and the potential value in bringing major names into its orbit.
As for Haliburton’s sneakers, Rhodes now has a clear guideline whenever he considers adding them to his WWE wardrobe. They are not for a night when he is selling an opponent’s offense or staring at the lights. In Haliburton’s terms, they are for a win.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.