NBA All-Star Tyrese Haliburton may have missed out on a championship ring this past season, but he made up for it with an unforgettable piece of jewelry — an oval-shaped diamond engagement ring for his longtime girlfriend, Jade Jones.
Just five weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles, the Indiana Pacers point guard proposed to his college sweetheart at the Hilton Coliseum, the basketball arena at Iowa State University where their love story began. The couple has been together since 2019, when Haliburton played for the Cyclones and Jones cheered on the sidelines.
Haliburton went all out for the moment, adorning the gym with glowing “WILL YOU MARRY ME” letters, red rose petals and floating candles before gingerly getting down on one knee.
A clunky medical boot and a mobility scooter can be seen in photos shared to Haliburton's Instagram page. The clutch player was a leading candidate for the NBA Finals MVP, but suffered a devastating torn Achilles in the first quarter of Game 7 against the Oklahoma Thunder.
Jones’s new 18-karat yellow gold engagement ring features a large oval-cut center diamond, flanked by smaller diamonds on the band and a hidden halo for added brilliance. The modern-meets-classic design has become a favorite among celebrity brides-to-be. The elongated oval shape flatters the finger, while its brilliance offers a high-carat look without overwhelming the hand.
Eagle-eyed fans noticed Jones was wearing a silicone ring adjuster in one closeup engagement photo posted to Instagram. The coil-style adjuster temporarily shrinks the band’s interior diameter and is often used when a ring needs resizing — something we suspect will happen once the excitement dies down.
Oval-shaped diamond rings are having a moment in Hollywood and with the general public. A recent study by The Knot revealed that, while round is still the most popular shape for a center stone (34%), the oval shape (preferred by 23%) has been trending up.
Despite his injury setback, Haliburton remains optimistic about the future, stating on Instagram, “Watch how I come back from this.”
And while he’ll sit out the 2025–2026 NBA season to recover, he and Jones will have plenty of time to plan a wedding.
Credits: Images via Instagram / Tyrese Haliburton.