Tyrese Haliburton has once again brought a piece of WWE history onto an NBA court, debuting a D-Generation X-inspired version of his PUMA Hali 1 shoes during a preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Pacers guard wore an all-green colorway accented by black details and PUMA branding, a design that unmistakably recalled the signature visual identity associated with D-Generation X. Green and black became synonymous with the group during its most recognizable era, particularly as Triple H and Shawn Michaels helped turn DX into one of WWE's defining acts of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Haliburton's footwear choice continued a connection to WWE that has been apparent in his recent on-court appearances. The game itself went to overtime, with Milwaukee taking the win. Haliburton finished with 17 points and six assists while shooting 7-for-14 from the field.
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A Returning Tribute to Triple H and DX
This was not Haliburton's first time publicly using a DX-inspired sneaker design. In March 2025, he wore a Triple H-inspired All-Pro NITRO PE “DX” shoe while playing the Bucks. The latest PUMA Hali 1 presentation therefore reads less like a one-off reference and more like an ongoing theme for one of basketball's most prominent WWE-friendly athletes.
For more background on this topic, read Booker T Says WWE Locker Room Heat Was Never an Issue After WCW Move.
That earlier footwear tribute specifically carried the Triple H connection, while the new Hali 1 design again puts the familiar DX palette at the forefront. WWE fans have long associated that mix of bright green and black with the rebellious faction's logo, clothing, entrance imagery, and overall presentation. It remains one of the most immediately identifiable color combinations attached to a WWE act.
DX's place in WWE culture makes the reference particularly natural for an athlete looking to make a bold visual statement. The group was built around irreverence, confidence, and a willingness to reject the expected rules of its environment. Those qualities made D-Generation X a major force in WWE's Attitude Era, and the imagery remains popular decades later among fans, performers, and athletes outside the wrestling business.
For Haliburton, the nod to DX is also part of a broader visible appreciation for Triple H. Before his first game back this season, Haliburton wore a Triple H denim jacket, making the WWE influence clear before he even stepped onto the floor. The jacket and the new sneakers together show that the references have extended beyond a single pair of shoes.
Haliburton's Return Adds Context to the Moment
The preseason appearance came during an important stage of Haliburton's basketball return. He is presently sidelined with a hamstring injury, but he returned this season after missing all of the 2025-26 season because of a torn Achilles.
That context made his first game back a significant personal and professional moment, and the Triple H denim jacket offered a distinctive way to mark it. Triple H's own WWE career has included repeated stories of adversity, recovery, and reinvention, although Haliburton did not publicly attach a stated meaning to the wardrobe choice beyond the tribute itself. Still, the timing made the reference notable to viewers familiar with both men.
The DX-inspired PUMA Hali 1 look followed that initial return-game tribute. Rather than moving away from the wrestling imagery after the occasion passed, Haliburton kept the theme alive during the preseason. His 17-point, six-assist performance against Milwaukee also ensured that the shoes were attached to a meaningful on-court showing instead of merely a pregame fashion moment.
His 7-for-14 shooting line reflected an efficient night from the field, even as the Bucks ultimately prevailed in overtime. The result does not change the larger appeal of the appearance for wrestling fans: a current NBA star used his signature footwear platform to revisit one of WWE's most enduring visual brands.
Why D-Generation X Still Resonates
D-Generation X has remained a frequent point of reference in sports and popular culture because its imagery is simple, loud, and instantly recognizable. The group's green-and-black aesthetic has been recreated on WWE merchandise and invoked by generations of fans who did not necessarily watch every chapter of its original run live.
Triple H and Shawn Michaels are the names most closely tied to the act, though DX's history also included influential contributions from members including Chyna, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, and X-Pac. Across different versions of the group, the defining identity was its defiant attitude and a presentation designed to stand out.
That recognizable identity translates cleanly to a sneaker colorway. A vivid green base, black contrast, and a connection to Triple H immediately provide a visual shorthand for the DX influence without requiring a detailed explanation. For a player such as Haliburton, whose PUMA Hali 1 gives him a personal footwear canvas, it creates an easy crossover between his interests and his profession.
WWE has long benefited from this kind of crossover visibility. References from athletes in basketball, football, baseball, combat sports, and other fields can introduce WWE iconography to audiences who may not be following weekly programming. The effect is especially strong when the reference is not simply verbal but worn in a major sporting event, where cameras, photographs, and highlight clips repeatedly capture the design.
Haliburton's choice is particularly clear because it is not a vague wrestling-inspired palette. The stated connection is D-Generation X, and his prior use of Triple H-inspired footwear establishes the direction of the tribute. The denim jacket for his first game back further underlines the consistency of that interest.
An Intersection of Sneakers, Sports, and Wrestling Fandom
Signature shoes have increasingly become a space where players can communicate personality, interests, and influences. A game shoe may be designed around a team color, a personal milestone, a charitable cause, or a pop-culture connection. Haliburton's DX-themed PUMA Hali 1 belongs in that tradition, while also carrying a direct link to a WWE legacy.
The use of the Hali 1 is notable in its own right. A player debuting a themed treatment on his signature model has a different impact from simply selecting an existing general-release sneaker. The design becomes part of the wider visual story around the athlete's own brand, and the DX inspiration becomes a chapter in how that shoe is presented to fans.
There is also a sense of continuity in the matchup. Both the March 2025 All-Pro NITRO PE “DX” appearance and the latest PUMA Hali 1 outing came against Milwaukee. The Bucks may have won the preseason contest in overtime, but the repeated opponent only adds an unusual detail to Haliburton's developing history of WWE-inspired footwear.
For now, Haliburton's hamstring injury has placed him back on the sidelines. His recent return after the torn Achilles and the subsequent preseason performance remain central parts of the current picture, however. When he has been able to take the court, he has made WWE fandom part of the presentation.
The green-and-black PUMA Hali 1 offers the latest example. It is a straightforward tribute to D-Generation X, an extension of Haliburton's prior Triple H references, and another instance of WWE imagery appearing prominently in the wider sports world. Whether future colorways continue the wrestling theme remains to be seen, but the connection between Haliburton, Triple H, and DX has already become impossible to miss.
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.