Myles Turner, once a cornerstone of the Indiana Pacers for a decade, returned to his former home in Indianapolis on Wednesday night, where he faced mixed emotions. The Milwaukee Bucks pulled out a rib-crunching clutcher 117-115 over the Pacers. Giannis Antetokounmpo just hit the seal-the-deal buzzer-beater jump shot of doom! This game was not just a heated rivalry. For Turner, who still feels the consequences of leaving Indiana on a personal level, it became an emotional moment.
Turner has played ten seasons with the Pacers, and during those years he has become one of the NBA’s best centers. This past summer, he signed a four-year deal with the Bucks worth $107 million. The Pacers had made him available, and he entered free agency as an unrestricted free agent. Turner certainly didn’t take the decision to leave Indiana lightly. By all accounts, he was pretty disillusioned with the way that his exit from the team went down. He explained Indiana failed to make an actual acceptable contract offer to the same value that Milwaukee had revered on him.
Reflecting on his time in Indiana, Turner stated, “You give 10 years of your life, your blood, your sweat, your tears. You take pay cuts. You survive trade rumors. You try to do everything the right way, and then sometimes stuff shakes out. It is cool. I take it on the chin.” He was deeply connected with the work of the organization. Prior to the game, he stopped in the Pacers’ locker room to thank all of those who had been there for him during his career.
Despite his warm gestures, Turner faced a challenging reception from Pacers fans, who greeted him with boos as he stepped onto the court. The emotional impact of this response was deeply felt by Turner, who called the experience “disheartening” and “frustrating.” I wanted to go back there, I needed to show love to all my people and everybody that’s a part of the organization. I think that I’ve taken care of those who have taken care of me. What the fan thinks is irrelevant.
As we detailed previously, Turner had an excellent outing in the match. He scored nine points and blocked five shots, notably four of those blocks in an authoritative first quarter. Isaiah Jackson of the Pacers dropped a cool 28 points on the scoreboard. He ended the game with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Their very different nights raised interesting questions about the future relationship between the two stars. Both are very much focused on cementing their place on their respective rosters.
Turner’s new teammates showered him with support and encouragement in the days and hours leading up to the game, boosting his morale. He shared that they reassured him by saying, “We got you,” demonstrating camaraderie within the Bucks’ locker room during this potentially challenging matchup.
Even when sharing his conflicted feelings on going back to Indiana, Turner underscored that he appreciated his time with the Pacers. He reflected on his long-standing relationships within the organization, stating: “When I was here, I’ve had the same strength coach, same medical staff, same equipment managers since my rookie year.” These links illuminate the importance of his decade-long presence with Indiana.
As the Bucks relived their close-fought win over Indiana, Turner’s emotions about coming back to Indiana resonated with Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo. He remarked, “He might not say it, but it kind of hurt.” This hopeful sentiment underscores the emotional upheaval characterizing the personal and political—academic and activist—complexity of Turner’s journey. He has gone from a revered icon in Indianapolis to key figure for Milwaukee.
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