SerpApi.Org
- MORE: NBA star reveals humbling reply from LeBron James about free agency
NBA superstar Tyrese Haliburton and his college sweetheart Jade Jones tied the knot on Tuesday - just weeks after their wedding celebrations were marred by the tragic death of a close friend.
The Indiana Pacers guard married Jones at the Indianapolis Marriage License Office. The couple were joined by a small group of loved ones ahead of their ceremony on August 1.
'It’s (courthouse) official,' Jones wrote on Instagram alongside a selection of photographs from outside the license office.
Haliburton was decked out in a dark t-shirt and pants, while his new wife wore a white dress and carried a bouquet of flowers.
Last month, Jones' friend mysteriously died during her bachelorette party in St. Barts at the age of 26. The former Iowa State cheerleader penned an emotional tribute to Makenzi Kern following her death.
'I am forever grateful that I got to love someone as truly special as Kenzi, and to have been loved back by her,' Jones 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. I love you forever until the end of time Kenzi.
'You are truly so beautiful inside and out & a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend. Thank you for always showing up for me, for making me laugh until I cry, and for being such an unforgettable part of my life.
'I’ll always miss you but I know you’ll be with me, wherever I go. “See ya”'
Kern was pronounced dead on June 8, just two days after her birthday, while 'surrounded by her closest friends on a once in a lifetime trip to St. Barthelemy Island,' an online obituary says.
At the time, TMZ reported that Kern passed away unexpectedly from health complications, and her family does not suspect foul play, nor do they believe her death is related to drugs or alcohol.
She is survived by her parents, step parents, sister, step siblings, grandparents and her boyfriend.
Kern attended Iowa State, where she was a cheerleading teammate of Jones'. That is where Jones met Haliburton, who played for the Cyclones before joining the NBA.
The couple began dating in 2019, while still at school. Haliburton proposed back on campus in 2025.
After leaving Iowa State, he was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2020 and was later traded to the Indian Pacers, whom he led to the 2025 NBA Finals.
Unfortunately, he suffered an Achilles injury during the Finals loss to Oklahoma City and consequently missed the 2025-26 season.
Read more
