Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton married his college sweetheart Jade Jones at the Indianapolis Marriage License Office on Tuesday, weeks after a close friend of Jones died during her bachelorette party in St. Barts.
Jones announced the news on Instagram with photographs taken outside the office. “It’s (courthouse) official,” she wrote. Haliburton wore a dark t-shirt and pants while Jones wore a white dress and carried a bouquet of flowers. The couple were joined by a small group of loved ones, with a ceremony scheduled for August 1.
The courthouse visit came weeks after Makenzi Kern, a former Iowa State cheerleading teammate of Jones, died during Jones’ bachelorette trip at the age of 26. Kern was pronounced dead on June 8, two days after her birthday, while surrounded by close friends on the island of St. Barthelemy. According to TMZ, she died from health complications; her family does not suspect foul play and does not believe her death is related to drugs or alcohol.
Jones paid tribute to Kern on social media. “I am forever grateful that I got to love someone as truly special as Kenzi, and to have been loved back by her,” she wrote. “Kenz was truly a light in this world, and that light will continue to shine in everyone who was lucky enough to know her.”
Haliburton and Jones began dating in 2019 while attending Iowa State, where he played for the Cyclones before being drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2020. He was later traded to the Pacers, whom he led to the 2025 NBA Finals. He suffered an Achilles injury during the series loss to Oklahoma City and missed the entire 2025-26 season. Haliburton proposed to Jones on the Iowa State campus in 2025.
